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< Back Louis Tewanima Louis Tewanima Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Louis Tewanima was born in the Hopi village of Shungopavi on the Hopi Nation during the time when there was little contact with the outside world. The Spanish, who sought to Christianize the Hopi and other northern Pueblos were instead banished from the Hopi mesas during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Much later the U.S. government sought to impose their laws on the Hopi and began to round up children to give them “proper education”. But the Hopi, who were a deeply religious society, resisted these efforts and the U.S military was dispatched. Many Hopi men were incarcerated and carted off to places such as Alcatraz. Tewanima along with 10 other men, all in their twenties were rounded up and sent by train to Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. They had little choice but to begin to transition to their new environment. One day the 5’3” Tewanima approached track coach Glenn S. “Pop” Warner and said “Me run fast good. All Hopis run fast good.” Not long after Tewanima was headed for the 1908 Olympics held in London, England. Tewanima finished ninth in the marathon. Jim Thorpe joined the Carlisle track team which dominated the best college teams around. During this time, Tewanima ran and won many races including the 10-mile indoor race at Madison Square Garden in New York and the New York Evening Mail Marathon in Manhattan. During the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm Sweden, Tewanima won the silver medal in the 10,000 meters in a time of 32:06.6, a new American record which held for 52 years until Billy Mills set a new record winning a gold medal in the 1964 Olympics. Tewanima also ran the marathon and placed 16th. When Tewanima returned home, he continued his Hopi religious practice to old age and one foggy winter evening he left the ceremonial kiva to return home, he apparently got disoriented and fell to his death off the mesa edge. He was 92 years old. The Hopi proudly hold the Tewanima Footrace in honor of their Olympian and this past Labor Day celebrated the 50th Anniversary. <Back

< Back Lloyd M. Powless Lloyd M. Powless Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Lloyd Powless was born on February 9, 1940 on the Pine Ridge Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. His father was Merville Powless from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. His mother, Adeline Powless, was a nurse from Minnesota of German heritage. Lloyd was athletically talented and he played high school football in Rock Island, Illinois. As a senior in 1956 he received Illinois All-State Football honors as a defensive linebacker. He was recruited to attend several NCAA Division 1 universities on a football scholarship. He accepted the Big 10’s Northwestern University’s offer. After the first year at Northwestern, he transferred to Augustana College at Rock Island, Illinois. At Augustana College, Lloyd became an outstanding middle-linebacker. He played three years for Augustana and received honors of All-Conference first team and “Little All-American” in 1963 as a middle linebacker. Years later Lloyd was inducted into the Augustana College Hall of Fame. At the end of his college football career in 1963, he was drafted into the National Football League (NFL) as the 17th draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams. He participated in three different training camps with the Los Angeles Rams, the Denver Broncos, and the San Diego Charger but did not go further. Lloyd Powless’ life after football included working one year for Standard Oil and John Deere Company for 25 years. He has a son and a daughter who are both college graduates. His wife, an Augustana College graduate, and he are retired and live in Florida. <Back

Dr. Rosalin Miles Lytton First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Dr. Rosalin Miles is a member of the Lytton First Nation and is known in her native language as Maaj meaning "first light of day". She is a pivotal figure in advancing Indigenous sports on both national and international stages as the Founder and Executive Director of the Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural Circle (IPACC). Miles organized 10 National Indigenous Physical Activity and Wellness Conferences, and 11 Active Spirit Walk and Runs. These events have fostered a robust network for Indigenous athletes and sports enthusiasts, promoting cultural exchange and athletic excellence. Recognized by the House of Commons and honored with Vancouver Quadra’s Hidden Hero Award, Miles’ dedication to IPACC underscores her commitment to elevating the profile of Indigenous sports. Her role at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a Research Associate and Indigenous Scholar in the Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology program further amplified this commitment. Miles earned her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics and became the first First Nations kinesiologist. Miles’ Master’s degree expertise, particularly in the physiological and psychological aspects of soccer, benefited teams like the UBC women’s soccer team where she worked as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and at the University of Central Florida (UCF) for their women’s soccer team. She received the UBC Alumni Award for Volunteer Leadership, and the Robert Small Boy Award “Heroes of Our Time” Scholarships from the Assembly of First Nations. As a Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in British Columbia and Florida, Miles played a critical role in supporting CSCS accreditation recognized by the NSCA Bronze Award. Her doctoral studies at UCF in Education, combined with her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management provided her skills to lead and inspire in the field of sports management and education. Miles’ experience as a strength and conditioning coach at UCF, and later at University High School in Florida, where she broke barriers as one of the first female Indigenous football coaches in Florida, highlighted her pioneering spirit. She also received the NSCA High School Professional of the Year for the United States. At the University of Arizona she worked with the men’s baseball and women’s volleyball teams, and volunteered with Olympic and professional athletes. Miles competed in softball in Japan, as a champion in BC and National powerlifting, and as a fitness competitor at both the USA and World Nova Fitness challenges. Dr. Rosalin Miles work has enhanced the visibility and success of Indigenous coaches, athletes, and researchers, and has also forged lasting connections and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding in the world of sports.

< Back Cheri Madsen Cheri Madsen Omaha Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Cheri Madsen was born in Omaha, Nebraska and her hometown is Nebraska City, Nebraska. Madsen represented the United States as a four-time Paralympian (1996, 2000, 2016, and 2020) and ten-time Paralympic medalist (2 golds, 5 silvers, and 3 bronzes). She participated in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games earning silver (400-meter) and bronze (100-meter) places; the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Rio 2016, earning silver (400-meter) and fifth (100-meter) places; the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games earning gold (100-meter, 400-meter), silver (200-meter), and fourth (800-meter) places; the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games earning silver (100-meter, 200-meter) and bronze (400-meter, 800-meter) places; and the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games earning bronze (800-meter exhibition race) place. Madsen’s World Championship experience includes in 2019 bronze (100-meter) and fifth (400-meter) places. She participated in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. She earned seven medals including three silver and four bronze: Silver – 2017 (100-meter, 200-meter); 2015 (200-meter) Bronze – 2019 (100m), 2017 (400m), 2013 (200m, 400m) Bronze – 2019 (100-meter); 2017 (400-meter); 2013 (200-meter, 400-meter) Personal: Daughter of Mario and Mary Becerra...Mother to Reese and Malayna Madsen...Married Eric Madsen on June 2, 2001...Was left paralyzed by an unknown virus at age three...Began wheelchair racing in 1994 and qualified for her first Paralympic Games just two years later in Atlanta...First Native American female to win an Olympic exhibition bronze medal...Her 1996 Olympic and Paralympic pursuits were chronicled in a Nebraska Educational Television documentary entitled “The Cheri Becerra Story: God Made Her for This Sport”...Left racing for 13 years, returning to competition for the 2013 world championships in memory of her younger brother, Mario III, and their father, Mario Jr., who were killed in a car-train crash in 2007...Hobbies include scrapbooking, reading and watching her daughters compete in sports. <Back

< Back Shiloh LeBeau Shiloh LeBeau Diné/Lakota Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Shiloh “Shy” LeBeau was born in Lawrence, Kansas on April 13th, 1989. She is half Navajo, Diné of the Honágháahnii clan and half Sans Arch Lakota of the Cheyenne River tribe. She lived on the Lakota Cheyenne River Indian reservation in Eagle Butte, South Dakota for a couple years then her mother relocated Shy and her sisters to Lawrence, KS where she currently resides raising her son. LeBeau boxed competitively since 2013 earning several prestigious awards, accolades and titles as well as making history for her family, Native Americans, the state of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. While attending Haskell Indian Nations University from 2015 - 2018, she traveled to Ann Arbor, MI and competed in the 2015 United States National Intercollegiate Boxing Association tournament, bringing home a National Intercollegiate Boxing Title for the first time in history to the State of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. She was the first full-time male or female college student to ever come out of the state of Kansas and achieve this success and in 2018 she went back and did it again at the University of Champaign-Urbana-Champaign, IL. LeBeau also serves as a Nike N7 Ambassador, an inspirational beacon in her community and that of the Native American and indigenous communities, She uses her platform as a positive resource to spread awareness on Native American and indigenous issues that plague native America as well as breaking through barriers, making history and fighting to knock out the stereotypes of what, who and how Native Americans, especially Native American women, are portrayed and represented in today's society. LeBeau travels to many states for motivational speaking and hosts boxing workshops at various Native American reservations, Schools, juvenile detention facilities, foster homes, military bases and other venues are the locations for LeBeau to motivate, inspire and provide mentoring services for youth to elderly, while encouraging them to live a healthier, happier life styles promoted through sport and exercise. LeBeau’s mission is to educate others about the real history of Native Americans, to bring recognition and awareness Native American and indigenous communities and to change the narrative of our people and our beautiful way of life. <Back

< Back Dale McCourt Dale McCourt Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 Dale McCourt played major junior in the Ontario Hockey Association (today's OHL). As a 15-year-old, he was already playing Tier II junior hockey when called up by the Sudbury Wolves for part of the 1972–73 OHA season. He joined the Hamilton Red Wings for the full 1973–74 OHA season, and was team captain by the time the renamed Hamilton Fincups won the 1975–76 OMJHL Championship and then the national 1976 Memorial Cup championship. In 1976–77, McCourt led the relocated St. Catharines Fincups as the team won the OMJHL Regular Season Championship. That season, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's Most Outstanding Player and was voted the nationwide CHL Player of the Year. Dale was also awarded the William Hanley Trophy as the OMJHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player in both 1975–76 and 1976–77. In the 1977 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, McCourt scored 18 points, a Canadian record he shares with Brayden Schenn and one point more than Eric Lindros and Wayne Gretzky. McCourt was drafted 1st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1977 NHL amateur draft. He successfully scored 33 goals in the first year with the team and was entitled to NHL rookie of the year with the Red Wings. McCourt was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in December 1981 and claimed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 1983, finishing his NHL career at the end of the 1983–84 NHL season, with 478 points in 532 games played. McCourt then played for 8 seasons for HC Ambrì-Piotta, in the top Swiss league where his number 15 jersey is retired. His coaching career highlight includes representing Italy as an assistant coach with the Italian National Ice Hockey Team at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. <Back

< Back Victoria Bach Victoria Bach Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Victoria Bach is a Mohawk from the Bay of Quinte. She grew up in Milton, Ontario. Her late grandmother was raised in the Tyendinaga territory, where she had her father, George Bach. Melissa and George are her parents, and she has one brother Jacob. Victoria Bach attended Boston University for four years and played on the Ice Hockey team. Victoria was the first player to score 100 goals in Terrier history and became the school's all-time point leader in 2018 with 104 goals and 198 points. Throughout her time at Boston University, she accomplished the following: Regina Eilberg Scholarship Hockey East Rookie of the Year Hockey East First Team All-Star (2017-18, 2016-17) New England Division I All-Star (2017-18, 2016-17) CM/AHCA First Team All-American AMCA All-American Scholars Mildred Barnes Female Athlete of the Year In her senior year, she was nominated Top 3 Finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. The Patty Kazmaier Award is presented annually to the top players in the NCAA Division 1 women's ice hockey. After graduating from university, she played professional hockey in the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). During her year of professional hockey, she won Rookie of the Year. Victoria has been a part of the Hockey Canada National team since 2014. In 2014 she was named to the U18 Women's World Championship team, where she won a gold medal. Victoria has also played in 2020, 2021 and 2022 Women's World Championships. She won back-to-back gold medals at the 2021 and 2022 World Championships, but 2020 was cancelled due to Covid. She was recently an alternate at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, where the team won Gold in Beijing. She is currently a member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Association, with goals to promote, advance, and support a professional women’s hockey league. <Back

< Back Natalie Nicholson Natalie Nicholson Arikara/Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Natalie Nicholson, Arikara/Ojibwe, is the daughter of Bruce & Millicent Simenson. She is married to John and together they have two daughters Stella and Mya. Natalie is enrolled in The Three Affiliated Tribes and is from Bemidji, Minnesota. Natalie is a 2010 Winter Olympian in the sport of Curling, nine time USA National Curling Champion, two time Junior National Curling Champion, 2006 World Championship Silver Medalist, 2004 & 2007 World Championship Semi-finalist and has 10 time World Championship appearances. She was honored in 2009 as Female Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year in 1997 and 2004. Natalie practices Shotokan Karate and earned her Shodan Blackbelt in 2022. Natalie has her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing graduating in 2022 and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in 2021. Natalie works as a Nurse Practitioner & Indigenous Lactation Counselor for Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming “Birthing Long Ago in Home, Lodge or Hospital”. Mewinzha provides Anishinaabe-led maternal child health and family wellness services by braiding both western and Native American traditional knowledge of health, wellness, and community into practice throughout the holistic health journey of our relatives. Natalie is honored to have the opportunity to be able to co-create our own maternal-child community health clinic: Gaa-giigishkaakaawasowaad “A Place Where Pregnant Women Gather”. <Back

Team 2025 Anishnabe Iskwewak Induction Category: Year Inducted <Back The Anishnabe Iskwewak broomball team was created in 2024 including only indigenous women from Quebec including Cree, Algonquin, and Atikamekw Nation as there are many talented broomball players within the indigenous communities from Quebec. Many of the players have been playing since the age of five years old until their adulthood as there are many tournaments that are held annually in each community. They are creating an image of unity within the indigenous communities from Quebec but also wanted to encourage physical and mental health within our indigenous women as some of the players are mothers. They hope to inspire the youth to continue to pursue their passion for their careers in broomball and there are many opportunities to look forward to even when you are an adult. The jersey logo was created by Angelina Wabanonik, an Algonquin community member from Anishnabe du Lac Simon. The logo was inspired by unity, and friendship. Also, added to the jersey to spread awareness was the little red dress for Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people (MMIWIG+2SLGBTQI). Anishnabe Iskwewak translated to English is “First Nation Women” although Anishnabe and Iskwewak is spelled in different ways for each language in Algonquin, Cree and Atikamekw it still has the same meaning for First Nation Women. Anishnabe Iskwewak attended the World’s Broomball Championship in Mont-Blanc, France on Oct 21-26, 2024, hosted by the International Federation of Broomball Association (IFBA) for the first time. Each player showed great commitment and dedication in working together to attend the tournament being held far from home, most travelling overseas for the first time. There were many obstacles, but the team was very optimistic even with 13 players. With their hard work and perseverance, the team finished the tournament by winning in overtime against Australia with the final score of 3-2 and winning the bronze medal game. Names on the team photo include the following. Top left: Lyne-Sue Kistabish, Hannah Swallow, Carla Lameboy, Kathleen Kistabish, Leonna Cheezo, Chelsea Kistabish, Katie Napash, and Janelle Stewart. Bottom left: Jessica Kistabish, Alicia WAwatie, Pearl Bearskin, Erika Wabanonik, and Eleanor Coonishish

< Back Ellison Tarzan Brown Ellison Tarzan Brown Narragansett Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, also known as Deerfoot among his people, was born on September 22, 1913 and raised near where the Narragansett tribe's reservation was located. Ellison’s physical prowess at an early age led to his nickname of “Tarzan”. He was extremely agile and fast when running through the forest, climbing and swinging from trees and all of this was reminiscent of the Tarzan character who was popular at the time. “Tarzan’s” career moved onto the big stage in 1935 when he started training for the Boston Marathon. Brown started the race also wearing shoes that were falling apart. However, Brown etched himself into Boston Marathon folklore when he removed his shoes and finished the last third of the race barefoot. He finished in 13th place while Johnny Kelley from Massachusetts went on to win the Boston Marathon that year. It was the following year’s Boston Marathon where “Tarzan” took center stage among the esteemed list of Boston Marathon winners, when he outdueled the previous year’s winner, Johnny Kelley, over the last few miles. These miles were made up of modest hills and Kelley managed to catch up to Brown, only to see Brown surge ahead for good on the last hill, leading the media to name it “Heartbreak Hill”. Brown went on to win the 1936 Boston Marathon, helping to qualify “Tarzan” for the 1936 U.S. Olympic Team. Brown ended up being disqualified in the Olympic Marathon for getting medical assistance to rub out leg cramps. Upon his return to the U.S., the media was critical of Brown, often attributing his lack of success to his Indigenous heritage. Brown responded by winning a marathon in New York and another marathon in New Hampshire just 24 hours later. When asked why he ran two marathons in two days, he responded that it was to show his detractors that he didn’t give up in the Olympics. “Tarzan” would go on to win the 1939 Boston Marathon to solidify his place in history. He was the first runner to complete the Boston Marathon in under 2 hours and 30 minutes. He was set to be a member of the 1940 U.S. Olympic team but the outbreak of World War II in Europe would cancel the Olympic Games, and do the same to the 1944 Olympics. Ellison “Tarzan” Brown died on August 23, 1975. The accomplishments of the Indigenous icon live on forever. A reminder of an undying spirit and legacy of perseverance persists from Ellison “Tarzan” Brown. <Back

< Back Elizabeth (Liz) Mary Duval Elizabeth (Liz) Mary Duval Metis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Liz was born and raised in Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada. From a very early age her athletic prowess preceded her in all the sports she played. At the age of 10 years, she began playing ice hockey and at the time she was one of only two girls who were given permission to play with “the boys” in her local hockey association. Her hockey skills were above average and soon many people took notice of her exceptional play. While still in her teens she was selected by Hockey Ontario to compete in the 1988 Ontario Winter Games. After graduating from secondary school, she was recruited to play women’s varsity hockey for the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. Liz served as Captain for her final three years while also leading her team-mates in scoring for that same period. In the 1994-95* season, she led the Gryphons to the Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association Championship. Also in that year, and as the team’s MVP, she was a finalist for the University of Guelph’s Sportswoman of the Year. It’s also worthy to make note of the fact that Liz was selected as an OWIAA All-Star for each of her four years she suited up for the Gryphons. Upon graduation from university, Liz starred for the Mississauga Chiefs of the Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League from 1993 through to 2000. In 1996, she scored the overtime winning goal and led the Chiefs to capture the Ontario Senior AA hockey title. Liz finished her hockey career by playing professional women’s hockey in France. In 2016 the 1994-95 Gryphons women’s hockey team was inducted into the University of Guelph’s Sports Hall of Fame. <Back

< Back Larry Foster Larry Foster Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Larry Foster is of the Kinyaa’a’anii (Towering House People Clan) born for the Dzil’ta’ahnii (Mountain Cover Clan). Raised in the Fort Defiance, Arizona community to the late Navajo Code Talker Harold Y. Foster, Sr. and Margaret Foster. As a student athlete at Window Rock High School, he earned All-Conference and All-State honors in three sports from 1966-1968 in baseball, football, and basketball. He was named to the All-Area Connie Mack San Juan Basin League and the Navajo American Legion Baseball League. Upon graduating from high school, he played two years at Bacone Junior College in Muskogee, OK under Coach Negial A. King, and played in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series in Grand Junction, CO. He went on to play at Adams State College in Alamosa, CO, He was named as Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Batting Champion in 1971, under Coach Louie Long with a .442 batting average, where he was part of winning the RMAC District #7 finals and a trip to the NAIA playoffs in Pueblo, CO. After his college career, he played semi-pro baseball and was a nine-time All-Tournament outfield and batting champion. He also played in All-Indian baseball tournaments in Northern Arizona Baseball League tournaments from 1964-1976. He competed in leagues with All Pueblo Indian, Southwest Salt River Agency, Colorado River Indian, and Southern Arizona in Tucson, Arizona and competed in Amateur Softball Association (ASA) fast pitch softball that earned him trips to the National All Indian ASA fast pitch tournaments in Oklahoma City; Bell Gardens; California Indian Softball; Soboba Indian Reservation, CA; and, Gallup, NM. Foster was inducted into the Southwest All Indian Sports Hall of Fame in Phoenix, AZ in 2008 and the Navajo Nation Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. He is married to Mattie Foster, with two adopted kids, and seven grandchildren. Foster received BA in Sociology and AA in Public Health from UCLA in 1980. He is a retired Public Health Advisor and Infectious Disease Coordinator in Arizona, NM and Navajo Nation. Presently, he’s an advocate with the American Indian Religious Freedom, Apache Stronghold and Sportswriter for local area high school on social media. <Back