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< Back Corbyn Tao Corbyn Tao Nisga’a Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Corbyn Tao is a Nisga’a lacrosse athlete, coach, and leader whose lifelong passion for the game has shaped his identity, career, and commitment to Indigenous communities. Raised in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Tao grew up alongside one older sister and two younger sisters, learning early the values of family, discipline, and perseverance that would guide him throughout his life in sport. Tao attended boarding school in Hudson, Ohio, enrolling at Western Reserve Academy where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete in lacrosse, hockey, and soccer. His dedication to lacrosse led him to a standout junior career, spending most of his development with the Six Nations Arrows before completing his final junior season with the Coquitlam Adanacs. At the collegiate level, Tao attended Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was a four-year starter for the lacrosse program. He graduated with a degree in Business Management, balancing academic success with consistent on-field leadership and performance. Following university, Tao was drafted by the Minnesota Swarm of the National Lacrosse League, where he competed professionally for four seasons. His playing career reflected a deep respect for the game’s roots, strong work ethic, and commitment to team success. After transitioning from player to coach, Tao dedicated nine years to coaching at Breck School, while also leading and mentoring athletes through local travel programs in both box and field lacrosse. His impact extends beyond competition through his role as Executive Director of the Indigenous Lacrosse Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on expanding access and opportunity for Indigenous communities while improving the health and well-being of Indigenous youth through lacrosse. A dual Canadian and American citizen, Corbyn Tao continues to honor the medicine game by using lacrosse as a tool for leadership, cultural connection, and positive change leaving a lasting legacy both on and off the field. <Back

LA Williams <Back Diné Induction Category: Media Year Inducted 2023 L.A. Williams is a longtime Diné broadcaster, sports announcer, commentator, and public speaker from the Navajo Nation. She has worked as a sports radio broadcaster for nearly 30 years, bringing sports events to the Navajo people through the radio airwaves. She started her broadcasting career while attending Fort Lewis College in the early ‘90s before becoming the sports voice of the Navajo Nation as the sports director at KTNN, a local Navajo radio station that prides itself in delivering a Navajo language only broadcast. While at KTNN, she attended many sporting events, commentating and announcing in the Navajo language for the people. During the 1993/1994 NBA season, she signed a contract with the Phoenix Suns, and worked closely with Suns announcer Al McCoy, who challenged the idea that a Phoenix Suns game play-by-play could be done entirely in Navajo. Williams not only made it happen, but went on to interview sports celebrities Robin Roberts, Kobie Bryant, and Chery Miller, to name a few. Williams also regularly broadcasts in Navajo from the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and has broadcasted a number of NFL games in Diné. She spent 20 years at KTNN and was dubbed “The Voice of Navajo Sports,” before taking up the communications specialist position at Winslow Indian Health Care Center from 2016-2019. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she used her Navajo language skills to translate and relay pandemic-related information to the Diné. During the 2021/2022 NBA season, she returned to Phoenix and provided play-by-play during the NBA Playoffs. Williams is now the program manager at Diné College’s KXWR station, where she trains Navajo students to become the next generation of Navajo radio broadcasters, in hopes of continuing the Diné language.

< Back Rob McClain Rob McClain Muscogee Creek/Red Lake Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Rob McClain started his athletic career in Red Lake, Minnesota. There he was a three sport athlete that excelled in Football, Golf and especially Basketball. Red Lake High school is where Rob played on the team varsity team for four years and went to the state tournament each of the four years. In his final two years of high school his team finished with a top four finish at state. He concluded his high school career with over 1500 points and 1300 rebounds. Rob played junior college basketball at United Tribes Technical College the next two years. He scored over 1000 points, was named all-conference two years in a row and also named an All-American in his second year playing there. He played well enough to garner attention from many NCAA Division I and II schools. He played his final two years of college basketball for the NCAA Division 1 school University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) coached by the late Lew Hill. Rob graduated from UTRGV in May of 2021 with his degree and is now back at United Tribes as an assistant coach on the Men’s Basketball team. <Back

Jason Johnson <Back Onondaga Nation, Wolf Clan Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2025 Jason Johnson worked with the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) Rochester Knighthawks for 11 seasons and from 2019 to present with the Halifax Thunderbirds. He served more than 12 years as Assistant Coach and then was the Director of Player Development with Halifax. In 2014, he was a member of the coaching staff that won a league-record third straight NLL Championship. Johnson was named Head Coach for the first Haudenosaunee Nationals Women’s Box lacrosse team capturing the bronze medal at the 2024 World Championships in Utica, NY. Johnson was the General Manager for the Six Nations Arrows in the Ontario Junior “A” Lacrosse League. He was the offensive coach from 2004 to 2006, the team won three consecutive Ontario Championships and advanced to three Minto Cup Finals. He was also an assistant coach in 2009, 2010, 2022, and 2023. Johnson was an assistant coach with the Six Nations Minor in 1995 and coached for the past 30 years. In 2024 he assisted with Six Nations U11 Box team winning their first U11 Provincial “A” championship and in 2023 he was an assistant with Six Nations U9 minors winning their first U9 “A” Provincial Championship. In 2015, he won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Team Ontario at the U15 Field Nationals. As a scout for the Iroquois, they won a silver medal at the 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. Johnson worked alongside his daughter Tawnie, as an assistant coach, and led the Western Mustangs women's lacrosse team to their fifth straight Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship. In 2014, he was a scout for the Iroquois Nationals and won a bronze medal at the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championship. In 2013, Johnson served as the head coach of the Team Iroquois Midget Box Team, and guided the 15 to 16-year-olds to a silver medal at the STX Midget Lacrosse Championship of Canada. He led the Six Nations Bantams to the gold medal at the 2012 Provincials. Johnson and 2024 NAIAHF inductee Curt Styres received Six Nations Minor Lacrosse Association Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading the Bantams to the Provincial Championship. In 2012 Johnson worked as an assistant coach for the Iroquois Nationals at the U19 World Championships in Turku, Finland. The Iroquois won bronze and defeated Team USA in pool play to earn its first victory over the Americans in the tournament. Johnson was an assistant coach for the Hamilton Nationals for five seasons and the team advanced to three Major League Lacrosse Championships and won the 2009 title.

< Back Cory Witherill Cory Witherill Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Cory Witherill is a Navajo professional race car driver from Pacific Palisades, CA who competed in the INDYCAR Series, Indy Racing League, NASCAR, ARCA and ASA series. He made an incredible bump day qualifying run on a brand new Menard’s engine to qualify for the 2001 Indianapolis 500, becoming the only full-blooded Native American to race in the Indy 500. He finished nineteenth after a flat tire, dropping to 26th and two laps down. Most of the race prior to the flat, Cory was running near the top 10. In 2002 and 2003, he went to the Indy Racing League’s Infinity Pro Series driving for Ron Hemelgarn Racing. In 2002, he had eight podium finishes and one win at Nashville Super Speedway. In 2003 while driving for Hemelgarn Racing, Cory almost won, but finished second in the inaugural Freedom 100 race at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Cory also competed in other forms of professional motorsports before making it to the Indy 500. He is a six-time Canadian Stadium Off-Road champion, 4 time U.S. Off Road Stadium champion and a professional motocross racer. He also raced in the Shelby Can-Am series, US F2000 series, CART Indy Lights and USAC sprint cars. Cory was raised and adopted by two loving non-native parents, Carole and Listion Witherill who are both very supportive in Cory for finding his path. He hopes one day to find and meet his biological family. <Back

Bennae Calac Pauma Band of Luiseño Indian Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2022 <Back Bennae is a strong Native woman, mother, business owner, mentor, teacher, and leader. Over the last 35 years, Bennae Calac has represented Pauma in various political, cultural, and administrative capacities. She has served as the repatriation chair since the age of twenty-one and her life’s work is to preserve the culture and traditions of her people. She is dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of Luiseño songs and dances and works with her own children and local youth programs to ensure that this traditional knowledge is instilled in the younger generation. Bennae was elected as Committee Member to the Pauma Band’s Tribal Council in December 2008 and served another two-year term as Secretary and Treasurer. Through her various Tribal roles, Bennae interacts with the youth, culture, public and political relations. Bennae continually answers the community’s call to speak on topics ranging from native wellness, health advocacy, domestic violence, women’s issues, and cultural preservation. Bennae serves on numerous boards and committees, including as the Co-Founder of the 7G Foundation, a (501)(c)(3) organization providing Native Americans, and other Indigenous people and communities, assistance in reaching their goals through Athletics, Education, Health-Mind-Body Practices, and Community. She has also established and serves as Board Chair for Onoo Po Strategies, a multifaceted consultancy and holding company with capabilities in Economic Development, Technology, Procurement and Distribution, Business Strategy and Marketing, and Environmental and Agricultural Management. Photo: Mom (left) and daughter at the US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis.

Kahnawake Hunters 2025 Founder’s Cup Champions Team 2026 Induction Category: Year Inducted <Back The Kahnawake Hunters ended the 2025 season in historic fashion. The Hunters were crowned the 2025 Founders Cup as the Canadian Junior B Lacrosse National Champions – becoming the first team in Kahnawake’s history to win a national championship in any sport. The Kahnawake Hunters represent the Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League and have been a member of the league since 2009. In 2024, the Hunters began their historic run by making it past the second round of the OJBLL playoffs for the first time and then made it to the Ontario Finals against the Elora Hawks. Elora would win the best-of-five series 3-0 and would go on to win the 2024 Founders Cup. The Hunters would go on to have a 15-5 record for the 2025 regular season, finishing in second place the OJBLL’s Eastern Conference. The Hunters would then go on to win their first found series against the Halton Hills Bulldogs 3-1. That set up a second-round matchup against the Green Gaels, who the Hunters would sweep 3-0. The Hunters would then take on the Akwesasne Thunder in the Eastern Conference Final. Game 1 of the Eastern Final was one of the most tightly-contested games of the playoffs, with the Hunters edging Akwesasne 9-8 overtime. The Hunters would go on to win the series 3-0 to go on to the Ontario final in a rematch of the 2024 finals against the Elora Hawks. After winning the first two games by scores of 12-6, and 9-8, Elora had a 2-0 lead in the series before the series shifted to Kahnawake. The Hunters would then win both games three and four by scores 10-9 and 9-8 to even the series at 2-2 heading back to Elora for the fifth and final game. The Hunters would go on to decisively win game five by a score of 13-7 to win the Ontario Championship and punch their ticket to the 2025 Founders Cup. Once at the Founders Cup, the Hunters went on to go a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, including a 9-4 win over the Coquitlam Adanacs in the gold medal game to win the Founders Cup. Team Roster: Tehahente Albany, Tehorahkwaneken Albany, Lleyton Bomberry-Sowden, Zane Chiefmoon, Crayton Cree, Cy Deer, Tehaianerahkhwa Deer, Ioteseronties Diabo, Kaymen Diabo, Tylen Diabo, Hawi Francis, Darris Jones, Kasey Lahache, Leland Lahache, Deeland Martin, Tycen Mccomber, Warren Oakes, Owen Rice, Shakononhkwahtsheronniennis Rice, Winter Rivera, Rohahes Stacey, Bryce Stout, Shatekaienthokwen VanDommelen, Shatekaienthon VanDommelen, Jenson White, Wesley Morris, Brett Bucktooth Jr. Managers/Owners: Derek Stacey and Jadie Cross, General Manager: Greg Horn, Head Coach: Brandon Francis, Assistant Coaches: Brett Bucktooth, Thunder Jacobs, Kahnawiio Dione, and Kirby Joe Diabo, Assistant General Manager: Kirby Joe Diabo, Equipment Manager: Katsirakeron McComber, Assistant Equipment Manager: Madden McComber, Social Media Manager: Atewenniiohstha Jacobs; Co-owners: Jason Maracle and Tara Maracle.

< Back Tirza Twoteeth Tirza Twoteeth Sunchild-Cree/Salish Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Tirza Twoteeth is a multiple time High School All-American who graduated in the spring of 2025 as the #1 ranked 235 pounder in America. She committed to North Central College, the reigning National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships Runner-Up as part of a recruiting class that was ranked #1 overall among all college divisions by Flowrestling in the summer of 2025. Her collegiate career is already off to a fantastic start, as she has cemented herself as a top-10 heavyweight in the NCAA, with wins over multiple collegiate All-Americans already. She is part of a team that has finished the first semester ranked #3 in the NCAA, and herself is off to a terrific start academically while studying Nutrition. <Back

< Back Marcus Oliveira Marcus Oliveira Menominee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2025 Marcus Derwin Oliveira, “The Phenom Menom,” was born on March 18, 1979, and raised on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin. He began boxing at the age of seven years old and went on to have a very impressive and decorated amateur record of 375+ fights and only lost 30 times. With his impressive skills, aggressiveness and unmatched strength inside the ring, he earned himself a spot training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Marcus went on to make it to the Olympic Trials, losing by only one point to make the USA Olympic team. In April of 2006 Oliveira made his much-anticipated professional debut with a knockout win against Daniel Russell. Marcus went on to win his next six fights by knockouts, five of them being in the first round. Due to Marcus’ extraordinary boxing skills he was approached in 2010 by legendary boxing promoter Don King and was immediately signed to Don King Promotions. He went on to fight some of the top fighters in his light heavyweight division to become ranked #1 in the world for two years. Marcus held several titles and belts, including ABF, WBA fedebol, and NABA. In his professional career he had an impressive record of 38 fights, with 28 wins and 22 by way of knockout, nine losses and one draw. Marcus retired from boxing in 2023 and currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas and focuses his time raising his son and daughter, and working for the environmental protection agency on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian reservation in Mayetta, KS. He is married to Shiloh LeBeau-Oliveira, 2023 NAIAHF inductee. In his spare time he and his wife travel for speaking engagements and hosting boxing workshops on different Native American reservations to inspire, motivate and encourage the youth to live a positive healthy lifestyle while helping them to build confidence, discipline, and skills through the sport of boxing. <Back

< Back Paul Chartrand Paul Chartrand Metis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Official/Team 2024 Paul Chartrand began to play baseball and amateur senior hockey after high school. In 1974 after a decade of teaching he moved to Queensland, Australia. After playing ice hockey at the ToomBul hockey rink near the Brisbane Schools, he co-founded a new local team, the Moreton Bay Sharks. Being an ice hockey referee in Canada, he turned to officiating. In 1978, he was Referee for the Goodall Cup national men's competition. In 1981 he was appointed national Referee-In-Chief in the NIHL although the league ended in its second season. When he first arrived in Brisbane in September of 1974 he was coming off a 6-2 pitching record for the neighboring provincial Calgary Giants. The right-hander played for championship teams including provincial teams in national competitions, including the first Canada Summer Games in 1969. In his first season in 1974-75 playing for the local Athletics team in the Brisbane Major Baseball League, he had a 15-3 record with a 1.51 ERA. He later pitched for the Queensland State Team and the Australian National Team during the 1974-82 seasons. He led Queensland with two wins in a Tri-State series in 1974 at Sydney. He also pitched a record 20-strikeout no-hitter on October 21, 1979 against the Ipswich Musketeers. Named to two Australian national teams in ice hockey and baseball, Chartrand returned to Canada to teach and practice law in 1982. He continued to compete in both sports, winning a national bronze medal with the Saskatoon Liners in 1983 and later retiring at 49 years of age. In ice hockey, he played four seasons with the Sagkeeng Old-Timers team, competing successfully in national and in Old-Timers World Cup competitions in Nice, Munich, Paris and elsewhere. Following his return to Canada in 1982, he pursued an academic career focused on the law and policy of states respecting indigenous people. He completed a Master of Laws degree at the University of Saskatchewan and took on university appointments in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Author of over fifty publications, he served on several high-profile public bodies, including Canada's Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Manitoba's Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission, and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. <Back

Mark Burnam <Back Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2022 Mark “Redman” Burnam is truly a rare, unique and influential individual in the sport of lacrosse. Burnam has touched many lives from among his community, his country and around the world by sharing his passion for competition, coaching, and storytelling. His early introduction to lacrosse as a Mohawk child started a life-long relationship that continues to this day as one of the true ambassadors of the sport. With a playing career punctuated by winning, he started by winning the 1980 NYS Lacrosse Championship earning MVP at Henninger High School. Burnam played at Syracuse University and in 1983 won a NCAA D 1 National Championship and in 1984 were Runners-up. Mark has decades of international experience both as a player and a coach. Burnam was a 5-X World team captain with the Iroquois Nationals and was a professional NLL player from 1987-1998 with NJ Saints, Buffalo Bandits winning two World Champions in 1992 and 1993 finishing up with Rochester and finally the Syracuse Smash. Burnam was the head coach at IMG Academy from 2016-19 and he currently is the head coach of the Iroquois Nationals U19 world team. Red has coached both as the head and assistant coach of Iroquois National teams for the past 12 years. Maybe his greatest impact is as a coach is where he continues to influence youth, adolescent, and professional athletes, teaching the meaning and value of the sport as a character-builder for all who choose to play and learn. Burnam’s notable and easily recognizable tough and relentless playing style is exceeded only by his enthusiasm, love, and infectious sense of humor with family, friends, colleagues, and those for whom he forever calls Team. Bio credit: Dan Witmer, quotes legends of lake placid bio

< Back Brady Fairbanks Brady Fairbanks Leech Lake Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Brady Fairbanks, 2007 graduate of Cass Lake Bena High School (MN), was a Minnesota High School All-State athlete in football and basketball. During his high school career, Fairbanks was a three-year starter on the basketball team leading CLB to an 83-11 record, including 42-0 in conference play. In 2006-2007, he led CLB to the Class A State Championship game where the team came up just shy of victory in a memorable game. Accomplishments include: • Conference MVP (‘06 and ‘07), • Section 6 MVP (‘06 and ‘07), • Honorable Mention State (‘06), • 2nd Team All State (‘07), • McDonald’s All-American Nominee, • Minnesota Native American Athlete of the Year, • National High School Player of the Year (Native Elite Showcase) Fairbanks accepted a full scholarship to NCAA DII Bemidji State University, becoming a starter and earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Transferring to Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) after his junior year, Fairbanks had a historical year becoming the school’s first male athlete to become a NAIA All-American. Accomplishments include: • 7th nationally in scoring (20.9), • 14th in rebounding (6.3), • First Team All-Conference, • Conference New-Comer of the Year, • Team MVP, • 1,000+ Points (Collegiate Career). Photos: Haskell Athletics and Ryan White <Back