Search Results

< Back Dennis Eastman Dennis Eastman Crow Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2025 Dennis Eastman was born December 23, 1960 in Crow Agency, Montana. He was enrolled in the Crow Tribe of Montana and was a descendent of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, MT. He attended high school in Wahpeton, North Dakota (ND) where he participated in football, basketball, track, and baseball, and was the ND High School Athlete of the Year in 1979. He played basketball and football at NDSCS in Wahpeton, and football at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM). Eastman had a remarkable quarterback career at MSUM in the early 1980’s. He was a two year starter, piloted the Dragons to an undefeated regular season in 1981 and a number one spot on the final NAIA I regular season polls. He led the Dragons to consecutive conference titles and post-season playoff trips; he was named to the All-Conference and All-NAIA District 13 teams in 1981 and voted the Most Valuable Player in the NIC as a senior. In 1993, he was inducted into both schools’ Athletic Halls of Fame. After graduating from MSUM, Dennis received his teaching certificate from Mayville State University. In 1990, Dennis and his family moved to Brainerd, Minnesota where he began his teaching and coaching career at Central Lakes College. He held a number of roles in his 26 years at CLC, including men’s football coach, women’s basketball coach, women’s softball coach and Athletic Director. In his 17 seasons as the Raiders women’s basketball coach his teams had two trips to the Region 13 national tournament, won the NJCAA Division III National Championship in 1996, and qualified for nine state tournaments. He received the Region XIII Coach of the Year in 1996. His Raider women’s softball teams went to national tournaments in 2000 and 2001, finishing seventh both times. Eastman was passionate about coaching and teaching, and worked to instill values that would help his students and athletes be successful later in life. Eastman passed away on April 8, 2017 and is deeply missed by all that knew him. <Back

< Back Pamela White-Hanson Pamela White-Hanson Navajo/Diné Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2025 Born and raised on the Navajo Nation, where the sport of running has ancestral connections, Pamela White-Hanson began running, and developed the strength and endurance throughout the years to help her high school team win four consecutive State Cross Country Team titles. With this passion and success, Pamela was provided the opportunity to run with a team called Wings of America, a non-profit youth development program, during her sophomore year and traveled to New York City to compete in the USA Track and Field National Cross-Country Championships where her team placed runner-up. There, she was in awe of a collegiate team who won the national title which inspired her to attend Adams State College without any knowledge of where or what this school was about. Ready to spread her wings, Pamela White-Hanson left home from the comforts of family, community, and culture two years later to join an elite class of collegiate athletes, who became her second family at Adams State College, an NCAA Division II school in Alamosa, Colorado. As a member of the Adams State cross country team, she helped her team to three NCAA Division II National Championships becoming a six-time All- American and managed to complete two undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Exercise Physiology and a Masters in Bilingual Education. In 2000, Pamela received a prestigious Giants Steps award with the National Consortium for Academics and Sports as a Courageous Female Student-Athlete alongside other inductees such as Muhammad Ali and Pat Summit as well as being featured in two magazines, Native Peoples Magazine and the Santa Fean. Pamela worked with the Native youth, one of the most at-risk populations in the United States through Wings of America with the Earth Circle Foundation and gained proficiency to facilitate summer running and fitness camps to Native communities throughout the country. Wings of America used running as a catalyst to empower the youth which also empowered Pamela White-Hanson to become an educator. After running professionally for a couple years with Sports Warriors co-sponsored by ASICS, Pamela begin her education career in Flagstaff, AZ where she joined a unique trilingual school, Puente De Hozhó. Pamela returned to her home language and taught the Diné (Navajo) Language to indigenous students for 16 years. She received Arizona’s Rodell Exemplary Teachers Award for 2010 in Flagstaff and was also nominated for Arizona Teacher of the Year. Today, Pamela White-Hanson continues her passion for working with the Native youth at Sinagua Middle School as well as coaching high school Cross Country and Track at Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA). Last fall, her girl’s NPA cross country team won a State Title and the NPA Boys received runner-up with her youngest son on the team. Pamela White-Hanson’s legacy continues and is married to college sweetheart, Brent Hanson and is currently raising three beautiful sons and have been foster parents to many children. Her eldest is in the workforces, one who is currently running collegiately for Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO and her youngest is running in high school at Northland Prep where she currently coaches. <Back

Algonquin/Iroquois Danny McCourt Algonquin/Iroquois Induction Category: Year Inducted Official 2023 <Back Danny McCourt worked as a National Hockey League Official for 25 years, just under 1,700 games from 1979 to 2004. From 2005 to 2022, he held the position as an NHL Officiating Manager in the Scouting & Development Department. From 2022 to current –he serves as a Consultant to the Senior Vice President & Director of Officiating for the NHL Stephen Walkom. Danny was hired by the NHL after working 1-1/2 years as an amateur Official living in Falconbridge, Ontario and one year in the International Hockey League, based in the Detroit area. When the WHA folded, the NHL took in four teams and needed 16 more officials. Six came from the WHA and he was one of the other 10 hired. His junior hockey playing career ended with winning an SOJHL championship with the Windsor Spitfires. Never being drafted to play in the NHL and knowing nothing about playing hockey in Europe, he changed his focus to officiating. Coaching was an option, if officiating didn’t get him to “the show” but he thought he could pursue that when he was older. When asked about his most memorable moment in the NHL, without hesitation he says his first regular season face-off in Edmonton versus Detroit and the two centres’ were his brother Dale, fellow 2023 NAIAHF inductee, and Wayne Gretzky. Dale won the face off.

< Back Ashley Nichols Ashley Nichols Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Ashley “AK47” Nichols, was known as an Ogijidaa Kwe, warrior woman. From a young age she had a fierce presence. At the age of 12, she discovered boxing with her first coach Rick Peters. From 2008 to 2017, she went to train at MAS Academy of Martial Arts with Kru Chris. This propelled her journey and rise to glory, through countless competitions, tournaments, world titles, reality T.V., film and documentary. Her biography documentary, “Emptying the Tank,” screened at Toronto International Film Festival (T.I.F.F) in 2018. Through her dedication and passion for Muay Thai and MMA, Ashley reached self-actualization and found who she truly was meant to be in the world. Her second home at the Kaewsamrit Gym in Thailand, supported, guided and pushed her to greatness. From 2021-2024, she found herself training at Niagara Top Team and this was a place that Ashley described as a top tier training facility, where she found a supportive team of professional fighters who would become like a family to her. They described her as someone having a passion for combat sports, and her warm welcoming spirit touched the lives of everyone. She was just a kid from the Rez, who had a dream and went all the way from surviving to thriving, holding world titles in Muay Thai and MMA. Upon her passing, she was the reigning and defending BTC fight Strawweight Champion, and the No. 1 ranked Women’s pound for pound fighter in Canada and New York. She also was the LFA 167 straw weight champion. Ashley competed in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, and was also a professional MMA fighter with a 7-4 record. She was expected to return to action in March 2024 at Pallas Athena Women’s Fighting Championship PAWFC 3 at the Nutrient Western Events Centre at Stampede Park. She was a LFA Champion, Glory Kickboxing Champion, BTC Champion, Invicta FC fighter. Ashley was known as the most technical and ferocious female striker that Canada and the world has ever seen. Her legacy will live on through her passion for combat sports and continue to inspire countless First Nations people across Turtle Island. <Back

< Back George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah Comanche Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 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. <Back

< Back Terry Felix Terry Felix Sts'ailes First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Raised on the Chehalis Reserve, Terry Felix did not play organized soccer until high school in tenth grade. At 16, he joined a men’s team coached by his father Pete. First Nations were not invited to play in non-Native tournaments in the 1970s except for one tournament where a Whitecaps’ scout was present and approached Terry’s father for Terry to try out for the youth team. In September 1981 he signed a professional contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps. On July 10, 1983, he made his professional debut for the Whitecaps against the New York Cosmos in front of 50,000 fans. In doing so he became the first Indigenous soccer player to play professionally in North America. In 1983 Felix represented Canada in the Olympic Qualifiers for the Canada Men’s National Soccer Team and earned three caps. In doing so he became the first Indigenous soccer player to represent Canada. Felix played for the Canadian Olympic Soccer Team and scored two goals including the winner in the first of a two-game series in May, 1983. He played a three-game series for the Canadian National Soccer Team against the Scotland National Team in June, 1983. He suffered a career-ending injury while training with the Olympic Soccer Team just before the 1984 Olympics. In September, 2018, Felix was inducted into the British Columbia (BC) Hall of Fame Aboriginal Sports Gallery. In June, 2020, he was inducted into the BC Soccer Hall of Fame and two years later in June, 2022, he received the honor of the Indspire Award Laureate for Sport. Felix continues to promote and coach Aboriginal Youth Soccer. <Back

Dano Thorne Category Coach Tribe Coast Salish Cowichan and Nez Perce Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 12/18/1961 A First Nations life-long advocate for sport, recreation, youth, and sport from grassroots to international level. A national level coach and coach instructor and founding member national aboriginal coaching modules the first master coach in this program, instructor in national coaching certification program, life skills coach mentor, suicide prevention mentor, physical literacy and multi-sport mentor, technical advisor to national and provincial sports groups and technical advisor and interim board member of world games movement. A lifetime professional commitment to create and develop sports and recreation for youth across North America. As an athlete, Indigenous Team Canada Indoor Soccer 1989-1998, Pro Soccer 1986-1988, Premier League Men’s Soccer 1979-1999, Duncan United Indigenous Men Provincial Champions and numerous MVP honors, and British Columbia (BC) Champions in 1990 and 1991. As a head coach, men’s teams won BC Champions 3 times in 1990, 1991, and 2001 and women in 1992. Men national runner-up 2001, women world champions 2015, 2017, Cuba U20 2019 and women North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) champions in 1993 and 1995. As an advocate and leader including being a board member, NAIG Council, Aboriginal Sport Circle, Team BC chef de mission, Special Olympics North America, National Indigenous Physical Activity Cultural Circle, founder NIFA Soccer Society, member of national sports committee appointed by sport minister and numerous other committees. Awards and honors include five-time BC Coaching Awards, three-time National Coach Awards, first ever Indigenous National Coach of the Year 1999. Graduate National Coaching Institute 1995 and presently completing the Canada Sport Institute Master Coaching Diploma. A two time athlete of the year as Cowichan Tribes Athlete in 1976 and 1979. With his 2015 team world champions he was inducted into the BC Soccer Hall of Fame in 2021. Dano has holistic approaches and remembers his cultural teachings of his family and elders. He is recognized for humility and integrity, respect of diversity and working for all people of indigenous ancestry and beyond. Believe who you are and live your dreams to all youth. Dano has been walking the red road for 33 years and enjoys his life daily. Has a strong spiritual belief with the Creator. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Drew Bucktooth Drew Bucktooth Onondaga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Drew Bucktooth is a lacrosse and hockey player from the Onondaga Nation in upstate NY. As a member of the Syracuse Stars hockey team he played against the highest level and won back to back state championships, a national championship and a world championship and was MVP of the world championship game. As a 16 year old, Drew was selected for the United States National team but was drafted and played in the OHL instead but still played for Team USA in international competitions and was named the team captain. In lacrosse, the first goal Drew ever scored was on his own goalie, but he made sure to do it correctly after that. As an eighth grader Drew led the varsity lacrosse team in scoring, as a ninth grader he led his league in scoring. As a 10th grader Drew once again led his team in scoring and earned All American, one of only two lacrosse players in NY state history to earn the tile of All American as a 10th grader. When Drew was 15 he competed with the Iroquois Nationals in the U19 world lacrosse championships in Japan, although Drew was the youngest player there, he led the tournament in scoring and was named to the All World Team. A few years later the Lacrosse World Championships were held in Australia, and again Drew was named to the All World Team and has the distinction as the only person in history to make the U19 All World Team twice. As a member of the Onondaga RedHawks, his team captured the Presidents cup twice, which is the Canadian National box lacrosse championship. These days Drew can still be found in and out of hockey rinks and lacrosse fields coaching his four sons, Blake, Gavin, Dylan and Cruze. <Back

< 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

< Back Jana Williams Jana Williams Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Jana Williams got her start in tennis the summer before seventh grade. Her older sister wanted tennis lessons, and Jana golf lessons; so they agreed to take them together. After playing in her first tournament, the captain from the high school team convinced her to try out for the varsity team as a seventh grader, playing #4 singles and 8-12th #1. She was in the top 5 in the Northwest section throughout her junior career, qualifying for Jr. Nationals and then in her sophomore year was awarded a scholarship to Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Bradenton, FL. After high school she got pregnant with twins. When they were six months old she returned to school at North Hennepin Community College and played on the tennis team for two years, going undefeated both years and qualified for the NJCAA National tournament. The first year she made it to the semifinals before losing, the following year the quarterfinals. After both years she was offered scholarships to play tennis, but instead of moving away from family, she decided to walk on to the University of Minnesota’s tennis team during the 1993-1994 season. Jana became involved with the organization called the North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA). She was the Jr. Singles champion in 1987, and Open Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles champion and Runner-up in many NAITA Tournaments. She was a past President in 2016. She also directed tennis clinics at UNITY Conference in Oklahoma City and Washington DC along with Riverside Indian Boarding School, Anadarko OK. It was Jana’s goal to bring tennis to the Native communities across the country and brought the NAITA’s tournament to Minnesota in 2016. She now actively competes in Women's NPC Bodybuilding and teaches anyone who wants to learn a healthy lifestyle how to work out and improve their overall health. Her awards included the 2017 NPC FIGURE Master's 35+ 1st place and Overall Champion, the IRON VIKING, Battle of The Falls Overall Champion and the 2019 Master’s Nationals and NPC Women's Open Physique Brew City and Minnesota State 3rd and 4th places. <Back

< Back Kenneth Strath Moore Kenneth Strath Moore Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Kenneth Strath Moore is the first First Nation athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. A citizen of the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, he was born in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1910. Moore would excel at every sport he played, including hockey, baseball, lacrosse, rugby, basketball, speed skating and cycling, although he was most passionate about hockey. His athletic and academic abilities enabled him to win scholarships, and he attended Campion College and Regina College in the late 1920s at a time when almost no First Nations students attended universities and colleges. He captained hockey and rugby teams, played baseball and basketball, and was described as “the most versatile athlete in the College.” Moore became a Canadian Junior Hockey Champion in 1930, scoring the winning goal with 40 seconds left in the game to win the Memorial Cup. He won two Allan Cup National Hockey Championships, and in 1932 traveled to Lake Placid, New York, to represent his country and the Cree Nation at the Olympics. There he scored a goal in the game against Poland, won a gold medal, and made history. Today, Moore’s achievements would be exceptional. A century ago, his achievements are extraordinary. He represents excellence and what can happen when talent and heart triumph over poverty and prejudice. After Moore’s retirement from sport a Winnipeg newspaper noted “It is doubtful if any other athlete in Canada has a record that will stand up to that of Moore’s.” He gave back to the community by coaching three teams to championship titles and sitting on the board of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association. In 1967 Moore’s Regina Pats hockey team was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, in 1976 his Kimberley Dynamiters team was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1987 the Winnipegs, his 1932 Olympic hockey team, was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Moore’s accomplishments were celebrated in 2018 in a hockey exhibit at the Manitoba Museum, and his achievements are on display at the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame. <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