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< Back Joseph Giovannetti Joseph Giovannetti Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Joseph Giovannetti, a proud Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation member and accomplished middle-distance runner, was born in Eureka, California. His athletic prowess first shone at Eureka High School; in 1967, he claimed victory as the Humboldt-Del Norte counties varsity mile champion, marking the beginning of his stellar career. In 1968, he clinched the North Coast Section Division III 880 title and set the EHS 880 school record with a time of 1:55.7. At Humboldt State College (now California State Polytechnic University), Giovannetti’s running talent flourished under the guidance of renowned coach Jim Hunt, displaying remarkable consistency and excellence in middle-distance running. He qualified for the NCAA College Division national championships all four years of his college career. One of his most notable achievements came in 1971 when he finished eighth in the NCAA College Division 880 national championship finals. This would be recognized as a First Team All-American honor by today's standards. Giovannetti's list of accomplishments is extensive. He set multiple records, including the Humboldt State 660 record, co-holding the HSU 880 record at 1:51.8 (equivalent to 1:51.1 in 800 meters), and contributing to HSU's 4X880 yards relay team in 1971. His excellence extended to other events as well, playing a key role in HSU's Sprint Medley Relay record in 1970 and the No. 2 all-time 4X440 relay team in 1971 against Sacramento State University. Off the track, Giovannetti has made significant contributions to his Indigenous community and academia. He was a Professor Emeritus of Native American Studies at Humboldt State University, making invaluable contributions from 1994 to 2018. He earned his Ph.D. from Sierra University and has been an active member of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation Tribal Council since 2007. Joseph Giovannetti's legacy is one of resilience, achievement, and advocacy. His journey as an athlete and scholar has left an indelible mark on the Indigenous community. As a citizen of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, Giovannetti serves as an inspiration to future generations, showcasing that determination and dedication can lead to greatness both on and off the track. <Back

George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah Category Athlete Tribe Comanche Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 12/3/1978 George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah is an enrolled Comanche Tribal Member, husband and father of five, CEO of three tribal companies, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, and winner of four middleweight boxing championship titles. He launched his boxing career in 2004. His titles include: 2008 Native American Boxing Council’s Super Middleweight Champion, 2011 World Boxing Council’s Continental Americas Middleweight Champion, 2012 North American Boxing Association’s US Middleweight Champion, and 2014 Oklahoma Super Middleweight Boxing Champion. His other awards include 2011’s Top 40 under 40 Native American Entrepreneur, Goodwill Ambassador Award from the World Boxing Council for his fight against diabetes, and the American Indian Exposition’s 2012 Celebrity Indian of the Year award. Tahdooahnippah, had the largest fan base in Oklahoma, and was accompanied to the ring with Native American dancers in full regalia, Native American Drum group, and Native American Rappers. Tahdooahnippah said, “No fighter in the world brought what I brought to the ring.” From the pound of the Native American drum to the breath-taking display of Native American Fancy War Dancers, to the hip hop sounds of his Native American rappers. Comanche Boy topped it off with his power punching, fan friendly style, knocking his opponent’s out. He then performed his own victory war dance. Tahdooahnippah built a nine-year 31-0 boxing career before his first loss. He fought four ESPN fights including one undercard, HBO pay per view fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. “When I started on this journey, nobody believed in me. But I kept going. This has been the highest honor I carried as a professional fighter and I did my best representing my Native American people,” said Tahdooahnippah. He retired from boxing in 2016 with a record of 34 wins, 3 losses, 3 draws and 2 no contests. Home 2027 Banquet 2027 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Autumn Apok Ridley Autumn Apok Ridley Inupiaq and Tlingit Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Autumn Apok Ridley is from Anchorage, Alaska. She is a descendant from Wales, Alaska. She currently holds three world records in the Traditional Indigenous Northern Games. Her records are the Alaskan High Kick at 83”, the Two-foot High Kick at 79”, and the Traditional One-foot High Kick (Alaskan style) at 74”. She also shares the Traditional One-foot High Kick record with two other women, Erica Carson and Carol Hull. Autumn first started participating in the traditional games at the age of 6. She was influenced by her Uncle Gregory Nothstine since he was heavily involved in the games. She broke her first world record in The Alaskan High Kick in 2012 at the Native Youth Olympics at 82”. Two years later she went on and broke her record by one inch in the Alaskan High Kick at the same competition. The next day she went and broke a 25 year old record formerly held by Nicole Johnston in the Two-foot High Kick by one inch. In July of 2014 she tied the world record in The Traditional One-foot High Kick with Erica Carson (Meckel) at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Autumn still practices and participates in the games for fun and coaches when she has time. Photo Credit: Wayde Carroll Photography <Back

Michael Thomas Category Official Tribe St. Croix Ojibwe Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/21/1955 Michael Thomas is a Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) basketball official for 27 years, officiating the State Tournament for 11 years with two championship games. He started officiating basketball for all Native American basketball tournaments and quickly worked his way to MSHSL and up to the varsity level. The highlight of his career is officiating for Native youth that make it to the State Tournament. Michael has been involved in many different sports as a player himself, coach or official. Personal highlights include winning the State Championship in boxing and on to Nationals in Reno Nevada. Scoring 67 points in a single basketball game at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Coaching his grandkids and great grandkids in multiple sports, with many championship trophies to prove it. Michael served in the US Army for three years and has done honor guard at Pow Wows as a veteran. He sang on his father’s drum, Minneapolis Ojibwe, with his brothers for many years, he is an avid deer hunter and was a postal carrier for 32 years. Michel is most proud of the family he raised with his wife, Debra who he has been married to for 46 years. Home 2027 Banquet 2027 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Neilson Powless Category Athlete Tribe Oneida Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 9/3/1996 Neilson Powless burst onto the United States road racing scene as a 19-year-old and found instant success, finishing ninth overall at the 2016 Amgen Tour of California and winning a stage at the Tour de l’Avenir. Those results shot him to the World Tour where his adaptability accelerated his learning curve. His sporting family laid the foundation for his future professional success. His mom ran the marathon in the 1992 Olympics. His dad was in the Air Force and raced Ironman’s, winning an award for being the top Ironman finisher who was also in the military. His sister, Shayna is also a professional cyclist who has raced for the US National Team. Family time in the Powless household was spent outdoors: swimming in the lake, running, and riding bikes on the trails in Northern California. Before pursuing cycling, Powless won both XTERRA National and World Championships in 2012. Since entering the World Tour, most notable results are as follows: Winner of 2021 Klasikoa Donostia San Sebastián and the first time an American has won a World Tour one day race in over a decade. 5th place in 2021 Pro World Championships and the best result for an American in over two decades. Competed twice in the Tour de France and first ever North American Native to compete in the Tour de France. Photo: Getty Images Home 2027 Banquet 2027 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Roy Old Person Sr. Roy Old Person Sr. Blackfeet Induction Category: Year Inducted Roy Old Person Sr. grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana. He is a graduate of Browning High School, Haskell Institute and attended Wichita State University. Browning HS didn’t compete in cross country when Old Person Sr. was there and the longest competitive distance was one mile. He began his running career as a senior in high school and placed third in the mile at the 1964 Montana State Track Meet. At Haskell Institute, Old Person Sr. was provided with coaches with extensive experience and fellow athletes with long distance running experience that helped him mature to the elite level. He won his first college race and his career began at a record pace. In 1965 he became the only runner from Haskell to ever win the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship setting a new national record of 15:02.1 in the three mile distance, and he ran it 26 seconds faster than the runner the previous year and today his time is still the second fastest in the history of the Junior College Championship meet. He also represented Haskell at the Kansas Relays running against many of the top runners in the country including the Olympic Champion Jim Ryan and Billy Mills. He received an athletic scholarship to Wichita State University and competed in the three and six mile cross country distances, and steeplechase, 5,000 and 10,000 meters track distances. At Wichita State University Old Person Sr. earned Cross Country All Conference in 1967. He was the 1967 Four Mile Individual Champion in a time of 19:46.7, All-Time Men's Cross Country Individual Missouri Valley Conference Champion, 1969 Cross Country All Conference, and All-Time All Conference Honoree in 1967 and 1969. In 1967 he ran a personal best 29:49 six mile race at the Midwest Federation race. He ran a Shocker record three mile race in 14:02.5 on October 25, 1969. He also set personal track bests a 4:20.2 mile and 9:12 two mile. In the 1960’s Old Person Sr. ran in many of the major university track meets including the University of Kansas Relays, University of Texas Relays, University of Oklahoma Relays, Drake Relays, Oklahoma State Relays, University of Missouri Relays, and National Track Meet at Garden City, KS. <Back

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< Back Niki Gashing Goodwin Niki Gashing Goodwin White Earth Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Niki Gashing Goodwin, an enrolled member of White Earth Nation, has been gifted the journey of being a professional athlete. He was born in Bagley, MN and grew up on and near Ojibwe country. His parents, Duane and Theresa Goodwin, are Native artists who still live in that area. Through his family connections and longtime relationship with horses, Nik’s passion was in the horse racing industry. At a very young age he developed the dream to be a professional horse jockey. In 1991 he started riding races in Barnum, MN, recording his first victory in the 100th running of the Carlton County Derby. From this point in his journey, he never looked back. His confidence that he would succeed in this career path allowed him to pass up a full ride academic scholarship at Bemidji State University. He started his professional career in Winnipeg, Manitoba in August of 1993 when he was just 16. By his senior year in high school he had a professional career started and still graduated with honors. Nik won his first professional race in his 13th start on his father's horse Moidore. After that race he quickly won more races and his career was under way leading him to California. Nik’s nationwide racehorse career was just beginning. Nik received the opportunity to ride at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, which is one of the premier horse racing tracks in the country. He spent a short time there riding with hall of fame jockeys and learning a lot about his career. Early in 1995, he moved his riding business to Maryland. In Maryland and surrounding tracks, he excelled and became a top rider for years in an extremely competitive mid-Atlantic racing circuit. Since then his riding career has taken him to many places around the United States. Nik has recorded over 1000 thoroughbred wins and multiple quarter horse leading rider titles in a career that has expanded over three decades. He has become the all-time leading quarter horse rider at Canterbury Park in Shakopee Minnesota. Nik spends the winter months now in Florida where he helps get young racehorses ready for their careers. His work was an important part in the development of champion and Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist, along with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Other great horses that he worked with have been Nadal, Dortmund, Palace Malace, and Competitive Edge. Now in his mid-forty’s Nik rides a little less and dedicates the rest of his time to his family. He lives in Ocala, Florida with his wife and three boys. Even though he is at the sunset of his career he still enjoys riding and is looking for the next champion. Photo Credits: Coady Photography and Heather R. Grevelis <Back

< Back Lori McAuley Lori McAuley Nehiyew iskwew Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Lori McAuley has generously given over fifty years to the sport of canoe/kayak in Saskatchewan. She has mentored and inspired hundreds, perhaps thousands to compete, coach and champion the sport, introducing Indigenous youth to kayaking and ensuring canoeing keeps its foothold as a traditional sport. Coming from a family of competitive paddlers, Lori was racing on the professional circuit by age 16. She also began her lifelong commitment of giving back, making an indelible impact on youth throughout Saskatchewan. Lori took on the work as the volunteer NAIG Games Head Coach and Coordinator for Saskatchewan beginning with the 2002 Games. She chaired committees, planned, and implemented athlete development programs, ran trials, managed, and coached teams for four sets of Games, plus the postponed 2020 Games. Lori ran the Canoe event at four Saskatchewan First Nations Games (SNFG). Her involvement was all encompassing, from setting racecourses to being the Chief Official. Lori also spearheaded Games programs for the Saskatoon Tribal Council. Lori’s commitment is highlighted by: • An historically successful team - Saskatchewan led the medal count in canoeing at every Games except 2017, winning 50 medals in 2014 alone. • Raising the bar with Games programs and competition by administering and coaching excellent programs and by keeping the needs of youth at the forefront. • Mentoring youth including a paddler went on to medal at Canada Games and national team selection. • Building a community network of volunteers, coaches, and managers, mentoring coaches to become certified. • Making her commitment a family contribution. Lori’s husband and children were heavily involved as volunteers with the SFNG and NAIG Games. • Her use of sport to positively impact youth. Her approach is holistic, exposing athletes to mental training, nutrition, and land training. She encourages excellence in sport, academics and everyday life, inspiring athletes to become role models in their community. Photo Credit: Lori McAuley with husband Dale McAuley at the 2017 North American Indigenous Games <Back

< Back Brent Reiter Brent Reiter Menominee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Brent Reiter attended Shawano High School in Shawano, Wisconsin from 1996-2000 and excelled in both Cross Country and Track & Field. Reiter was state champion in the 1600m run at the 2000 WIAA State Track & Field Championships and state runner-up at the 1999 WIAA State Cross Country Championships. He was a seven-time state qualifier, six-time sectional champion, ten-time Bay Conference Champion, a seven-time varsity letter winner, school record holder in the 1600m run, and led the Hawks to two straight Bay Conference Cross Country team titles in 1997 and 1998. Reiter was named Shawano High School male athlete of the year in 1999-2000. After graduating from Shawano High School in 2000, Reiter attended Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 2000-2002. He participated in Cross Country, Track & Field, and the Marathon. Reiter was a two-time National Champion, four-time National runner-up, nine-time All-American, an academic All-American, and led SIPI to two straight National Cross Country team titles in 2000 and 2001. Reiter also attended Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky in 2002-2003. He earned First Team All-Conference honors for Cross Country in 2002. Reiter was inducted into the Shawano Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. <Back

< Back Dolly Johnson Dolly Johnson Pawnee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2026 Dolly Johnson is an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and is the daughter of the late Wilbur M. Johnson (Pawnee/Wyandotte) and Augustina K. Johnson (Lake Pyramid Paiute). She was born in Claremore, Oklahoma and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She and her five siblings all played sports while growing up in Tulsa. She is a graduate of Union High School where she played basketball and fastpitch softball. While at Union High School, she won a 6A State Fastpitch title, was a 6A Fastpitch All-State member and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994. After graduating from Union, she played softball on a full athletic scholarship at the NAIA softball powerhouse Oklahoma City University. As a pitcher at OCU, she was a three-time First Team NAIA All-American, three-time NFCA All-American, 1999 NAIA Pitcher of the Year, won a NAIA National Championship in 1996 and 1997, and was part of the NAIA National All-Tournament Team in 1997. She also won several pitcher of the week awards throughout her career at OCU. Dolly holds two pitching records at OCU, season lowest pitching ERA of 0.32 set in 1996 and 5 career saves set in 1996-1999. In 1996, she was part of the OCU National Championship Team that played an exhibition game against the U.S. Olympic Softball Team at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After her collegiate career, she played on several Native American women’s fastpitch teams that played at various tribal festivals in Oklahoma, All-Indian State women’s fastpitch tournament that was held at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City, OK and at the National Indian Athletic Association Nationals that was held in New Mexico, California, Nevada and Canada. She was named to several All Tournament teams and MVP of several tournaments. After a successful softball career, she coached softball at the high school level and the amateur level. She was an assistant coach at Pawnee High School in Pawnee, Oklahoma for two years. She helped coach an amateur fastpitch softball team that won an USSSA National Championships in 2018. Dolly has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling psychology. She has one son and one grandson. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her grandson, watch OU softball and other “grandma stuff”. <Back

< Back Ciena Alipio Ciena Alipio Diné Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 UCLA senior Ciena Alipio was born in San Jose, Calif. in March 2004. Her mother Linda is Diné, and her father Dante is Filipino. Ciena grew up in Northern California and began taking dance classes at a young age before moving on to gymnastics. She went on to become a four-time member of the USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team, representing the U.S. internationally in competitions in Europe. She earned her first international assignment at the 2019 Jesolo Trophy in Italy and won silver medals on the balance beam and with the team. In 2021, she earned an assignment to the Arthur Gander Memorial in Switzerland and captured a bronze medal in the all-around. At the national level, she was the runner-up on balance beam at the 2019 and 2022 USA Championships. Ciena moved to Minnesota to train at Midwest Gymnastics for her final two years of elite gymnastics training when the global pandemic restricted indoor activity in California. In the fall of 2022, Ciena returned to California to attend UCLA. During her freshman season in 2023, she was a staple in the balance beam lineup and helped lead the Bruins to a Pac-12 regular season title and a fifth-place NCAA finish. She flourished as a junior in 2025, winning the Big Ten Conference balance beam title with her first career perfect 10. Ciena’s perfect mark led her team to a school-record balance beam score of 49.750 and to a Championship record team score of 198.450. UCLA captured the Big Ten Championship, as well as the conference’s regular season title. The Bruins finished 2025 as the runner-up at the NCAA Championships, where Ciena tied for third place on balance beam with a score of 9.9500 to earn first-team All-America honors. A psychology major, Ciena earned 2024 Scholastic All-American and 2025 Academic All-Big Ten honors. Photo Credits: Ross Turteltaub/UCLA Athletics on the balance beam photo. The one with the 10.0 sign was taken by Kaira Edwards/UCLA Gymnastics <Back