Search Results

< Back “ZA” McIntosh “ZA” McIntosh Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Cherokee Nation, and the Yuchi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 “ZA” McIntosh has been wrestling since the age of six and has grown into one of Oklahoma’s top young athletes in the sport. He represents Glenpool Wrestling in Glenpool, OK — just south of Tulsa — and has spent his entire wrestling career with the program. He began with Glenpool Youth Wrestling, coached by his father until seventh grade. “ZA” is a four-time Oklahoma State Champion and the only Junior High State Champion for the 2024–2025 season. On the national stage, he’s placed in the top four twice at WOW Tulsa Nationals — considered one of the toughest tournaments in the world. He’s also a United States Junior Open Champion, a three-time Adidas Wrestling National Champion, and a three-time Adidas Nationals All-American and has been named “Outstanding Wrestler” for multiple tournaments. “ZA” has been on multiple national dual teams with wrestlers all across the nation. Rooted in family and faith, “ZA” draws strength from a large, close-knit support system. His family’s constant presence and strong values have shaped him — not just as an athlete, but as a son and a young man. These values push him to pursue greatness, while staying grounded in humility and purpose. “ZA” is proudly Indigenous, representing the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Cherokee Nation, and the Yuchi Tribe of Oklahoma. Raised in Yuchi language and ceremonial traditions, he comes from the Polecat Ceremonial Grounds in Kellyville, OK. His cultural identity is central to his discipline and mental toughness, and he carries that pride with him in everything he does. While he pushes himself hard in every sport, “ZA” also values balance. Fishing is one of his passions — a space where he finds peace, focus, and a break from the high-energy demands of competition. It's his reset button and a place where he achieves greatness in a different way. “ZA” believes a true champion isn’t just defined by wins, but by mindset, character, and knowing who you are. With discipline, cultural pride, and a deep love for his family, he continues to train with purpose — always striving to be his best on and off the mat. <Back

< Back Edison Eskeets Edison Eskeets Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2023 Edison Eskeets is an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribal Nation. He attended and received diplomas from Haskell Indian Junior College, Kansas, and Bradley University, Illinois. A First Team All-American Runner, invested in Native traditional education composed with the mainstream educational school system at large. Edison taught at the Orme School, an international school, and the Native American Preparatory School serving in the following capacities: Chair of the Fine Arts, Teaching the Arts and Humanities, Coaching Track & Field and Cross Country, Academic Dean, Associate Head of School, Head of School. In addition, he served as the Executive Director on behalf of Wings of America, serving Native youth programs throughout Indian Country. Edison made every effort in making a difference within Native communities and went beyond boundaries: fundraising, grant writing, lectures, presentation of Native Arts, collaborating programs with colleges/communities, and seeking funds from government, foundations, corporations, individual donors, state funds, and tribal funds. It is vital to maintain the goodness of all indigenous societies including culture, language, ceremonies, food, and underscoring the history of the Americas, from Chile to Alaska. At one time, there were over 80 million indigenous population in the Americas and today’s count is almost 6 million. Therefore, Education, Athletics, Native programs, Higher Education, Funds, and Leadership must be nurtured. His final employment was under the Hubbell Trading Post at Ganado, Arizona operated by the Western National Parks Association. He is the first Navajo trader to manage the Hubbell Trading Post, the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo reservation. This environment included education of Native arts: metal smithing, rug weaving, wood carving, painting, pottery, leather works, and trading items with fellow customers. Currently, he is promoting a new book titled “Send a Runner,” a book illustrating the history of the southwest embodied with Native traditional ultra-running. Photo Credits: Joseph Kayne and Fairfield Half Marathon (CT) <Back

< Back Jim "Jake" Maloney Jim "Jake" Maloney Sipe’kneketik First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Jim “Jake” Maloney is a Karate Master Rank and 10th Degree Black Belt training uninterrupted for 55 years beginning in 1963. Jim is the first person in Canada to reach the rank of Black belt in Uechi Ryu Karate, in 1967, and in 1970 brought Uechi Ryu Karate to Canada. Jim grew up in Sipe’kneketik First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada. At the young age of 16, Jim moved to Boston, Massachusetts and he soon found the Mattson Academy of Karate. The Academy was the founder of Uechi Ryu in the United States and when George Mattson took Jim in under his care, Jim found exactly what he was looking for. Jim studied alongside some of the most decorated competitors in the sport. Jim’s first instructor was Van Canna, one of the top tournament competitors in the Northeastern United States. Jim trained under George Mattson, when Mattson singled him out and provided special attention to his training. Jim began and quickly became, “one of the top kumite competitors”. Jim was an undefeated New England champion in free fighting and cement breaking competitions (1967 -1973). As an official representative to Okinawa, Japan for Canada in the Uechi Ryu Karate Association, Jim has trained more than 16,000 students internationally spanning over four decades, while developing and training hundreds of fighting champions on full contact basis. Jim Maloney has organized and operate the first independent, all Aboriginal training institute in Canada named the First Nation Tribal Justice Institute. The Institute is responsible for training hundreds of First Nation peoples across Canada. Jim Maloney is a living legend, having already been recognized, honored and inducted into the Mi’kmaq Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2018 and the East Hants Sport Hall of Fame in 2020. <Back

Shayna Powless Category Athlete Tribe Oneida Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 1/8/1994 Shayna Powless is a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, USA Cycling-certified coach and a professional cyclist for Legion of Los Angeles. She grew up in Roseville, California and currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2016 and was a member of the UCLA cycling team for four years. She co-founded the Dreamcatcher Foundation with her fiance’ Eli Ankou who is a professional football player and member of the Dokis First Nation in Canada. The foundation aims to empower Native youth through sports by providing equipment and camps. The foundation also aims to raise awareness of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls pandemic in North America as well as raise funds for organizations actively fighting this crisis. Shayna has professional race experience in mountain biking, road biking and virtual (Zwift) racing. She also has international experience racing mountain bikes at events such as World Cups, Swiss Cups and Cape Epic (an eight-day stage race in South Africa). Additionally, she has raced professionally on the road in Australia for the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Road Race. Photos: Dennis Farris and Joe Flannery Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Joe Hipp Joe Hipp Blackfeet Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Joe Hipp aka Joe "The Boss" Hipp was born on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana and raised in Yakima Washington. At eight years old he became an amateur boxer and by the end of his amateur career his record was 119-9. At his first bout as a professional in the ring his wife nicknamed him “the boss”. By the end of his professional career his record was 43-7 with 29 knockouts. In 2009 he was inducted into the American Indian Hall of Fame. In 1999 he won the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Heavyweight Championship making him the first Native American Heavyweight Champion of the World. In 1996 he won the Western U.S. Heavyweight Championship, in 1994 the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title, and in 1991 the WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship. He was married 40 years to his late wife Barbara and they have four kids between them including Christina, Zack and twins Vanessa and Sophia along with 11 grandchildren, and one great grandson. When he retired from boxing he created the All Nations Foundation to encourage Native American youth to strive for achievement and excellence in academics as well as physical and mental health. He also speaks on suicide prevention and awareness. His and his daughters do motivational speaking at schools, youth centers and conventions about their experiences with suicide in their community. They created a scholarship called "Keeping the Dream Alive" in memory of his first granddaughter Alexandria Cole who was the 2012 Chief Leshi’s Daffodil Princess. <Back

< Back Mekwan Tulpin Mekwan Tulpin Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Builder 2024 Mekwan Tulpin continues to make HERstory today in both women’s field and box styles alongside an evolving sisterhood at provincial, national and international levels of play. She became the first Mushkegowuk Cree from Treaty 9 Territory to compete on the World Cup stage in lacrosse, while exploring her Belgian roots. As the daughter to Mary Jane Metatawabin and Leo Tulpin, she was born and raised mainly in Simcoe, Ontario. Living on Six Nations of the Grand River territory since 2010 has influenced her continued involvement within this high-impact sport for years to come. Tulpin’s current pursuit looks promising as the designated captain to the Haudenosaunee Nationals team with a roster compiled for evaluations at Utica’s 2023 LAXNAI tournament. Athletes making final selections will compete at an inaugural women’s division within World Lacrosse’s 2024 World Box Lacrosse Championships. With the Grand River Attack, she co-captained seven provincial championship titles over a 12+ year span. This includes being named to an All-Star team the past four consecutive years within Canada’s newly titled premier league, Women’s Major Series Lacrosse. As positive momentum across Turtle Island continues in favour of women’s lacrosse participation, campaigns like #Team88 and #WellnessWarrior, and the Women’s Global Box Lacrosse Network have recognized Mekwan as a lead ambassador for major games events. Throughout the years, the power of sport has instilled a desire to help motivate, raise competencies, and promote confidence-building skills amongst youth, as such were foundational to her own personal achievements, growth, and leadership qualities. Mekwan has been sought for coaching and facilitation opportunities through groups such as Turtle Concepts; Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Lacrosse Program; Anishnaabe Baggadowewin; Great Lakes Cultural Camps; Right to Play; Indigenous Sport & Wellness Ontario; Canadian Women in Sport; and more are on the horizon. <Back

< Back Lorianna “Lori” Piestewa Lorianna “Lori” Piestewa Diné/Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Lorianna, a graduate of Miyamura High School in New Mexico, had the remarkable record of 152-5 in high school wrestling. She started her high school career in eighth grade while still going to school at J.F.K Middle School. She was state runner-up in her eighth grade year. Then, she won state four times after that at the weight classes 100, 107, and 114 pounds. She was ranked #2 in the country her junior year of high school and took runner-up at the National Recruiting Showcase. During her senior year while being unranked she took fourth at the biggest high school wrestling tournament in the world. She then signed to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO to achieve her Health and Fitness Promotion Degree. She had torn her MCL during the first match of the season and sat out 2/3’rds of her first season. She then came back before RMAC championships where she took first. Loriana won the Regional 8 Tournament where she qualified for National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. She took third place there finishing her freshman year with the record of 17-2. She won the U20 World Team Qualifier a month later. Lorianna competed in the U.S. Open tournament where she took fifth and qualified for the Senior World Team Competition, where she also took fifth. She is currently ranked #2 in the country for the weight class 124 pounds. Her goal is to show girls that no matter where they come from or how late they start their career, they can always achieve their goals. She wishes to make an Olympic team for wrestling and to possibly become a wrestling coach. In 2025, she was named to the U20 USA Women’s Wrestling World Team, the U20 USA National Champion, her third National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling All American, the 124 lb. regional and RMAC Champion, the Colorado Collegiate Woman Wrestler of theYear, and Academic All American. In 2024, she was named a U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals All American, Tricia Saunders Wrestling Hall of Fame State winner, Team New Mexico Wrestling Team Captain, Homecoming Queen, Wings of America Cross Country Team, New Mexico Cross Country Regional Champion and placed at the New Mexico State Cross Country Championship, and U.S. Marine Corps Academic All American. <Back

< Back Jon Gray Jon Gray Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Jon Gray played a key role in the Texas Rangers' early-season success and into the World Series in 2023, both on the field and behind the scenes. His gentle and soft-spoken demeanor belies the quiet leadership and accountability that he brings to the Texas clubhouse. Through June 8, 2023, Gray ranked among American League leaders in ERA (5th, 2.32), opponent batting average (5th, .201), WHIP (6th, 0.964), and wins (T9th, 6). Over a span of six starts this season from May 8-June 7, Gray produced a stretch in which he went 5-1 with a 0.84 ERA (4 ER/43.0 IP), with his only loss in that span coming in a complete-game 1-0 Rangers defeat on June 7 vs. St. Louis. He had a span of 17 consecutive scoreless innings from May 8-20, the longest scoreless stretch of his career, and recorded his 1000th career strikeout on April 26 at Cincinnati. He began a start on May 13 at Oakland with 6.2 hitless innings, the longest no-hit bid by a Texas starter in over five years. During game three of the 2023 World Series against the Diamondbacks, Gray was brought in at a crucial time and pitched three scoreless innings in a victory out of the bullpen. He only had one hit and had five strike outs in 30 pitches earning the win as the Rangers were up two games to one in the World Series going into game four. In 2022, Gray began the #MissionGraywWolf22 program hosting military groups to three Texas Rangers home games. In addition, he and his wife Jacklyn hosted a Toy Drive in December 2022 to collect toys for Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex and secured over 900 toys that benefitted over 16,000 families. The December 2023 Toy Drive was another success. This past season, Gray hosted twelve #MissionGrayWolf22 nights for military families across the Texas community. Gray was named the Texas Rangers 2023 Lou Gehrig and Bob Feller Act of Valor nominee and is on the Board of the Taylor Hooton Foundation. <Back

Inupiaq Gary Hull Inupiaq Induction Category: Year Inducted Official 2024 <Back Garry Hull is a longtime traditional Alaska Native Games athlete, coach and official. Born in Anchorage and raised in Illinois and came back to Alaska in 1987. Hull was first introduced to Native Games at Clark Junior High School competing alongside senior athletes. He discovered his natural talent for high kicks and one hand reach but soon discovered he could excel in most games played in the various competitions in Alaska i.e.: Native Youth Olympics, World Eskimo Indian Olympics and Arctic Winter games – Dene Games and Inuit Games. In 1998 Hull set the record for One Hand Reach at 65”. He held that record for 10 years before seeing it broken by Jesse Frankson from Point Hope, AK. This did not deter Hull from continuing his efforts in other games played in competition. Since 1988 Hull has also exceled in strength games that include Arm Pull, Inuit Stick Pull, and Dene Stick Pull. He has earned well over 100 medals within the traditional Native Games events. Hull’s children, Garry Hull, Jr. and Sara Hull have also competed in Native Games. In 2007 Hull married his friend and fellow athlete Carol Pickett who was inducted to the 2022 NAIAHF. Together Garry and Carol Hull continue sharing their years of experience with traditional games by coaching students in Seward, AK alongside Head Coach Krisnan Weston. Currently Hull still participates with Native Games through coaching, officiating and mentoring. His fair and equal judging of Native Games events and his gentle mentoring has made him a respected and valued member within the games community. With humorous stories and knowledge of “tricks to the trade”, Hull is always ready to share his knowledge and skills with the next generation of games athletes.

< Back Carey Terrance Jr. Carey Terrance Jr. Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Hearing his name called early on Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-1, 186-pound forward Carey Terrance’s excitement to join the Anaheim Ducks was the first major step of a lifelong dream of playing at hockey’s highest level. Terrance’s second season as a member of the Ducks organization gives him valuable experience with players and coaches at the top level. Moreover, the selection represented his entire home community of Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne – with the territory holding a widely-attended watch party for Terrance’s anticipated pick. With great pride in his heritage, Terrance hopes to be the second Mohawk actively playing in the NHL in the near future. Traded to the Rangers on June 12, 2025, from Anaheim, and eventually one of 11 players assigned in September to the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Hartford Wolf Pack. The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the AHL since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers. Carey Terrance spent the 2024-25 season skating for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey league (OHL) while serving as the team’s captain, notching 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points. Among OHL leaders, he tied for third in shorthanded goals (5), led the Otters in both goals and shorthanded tallies, and ranked fourth on the team in points. In 2022–23, he tallied 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points in 67 games, leading all Erie skaters in goals and tying for the team lead in points. Terrance totaled 89 goals and 73 assists for 162 points, along with 81 penalty minutes, in 230 career OHL games with Erie. Representing Team USA, he helped them win back-to-back gold medals at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championships and helped them earn gold at the 2023 U-18 World Championship. NY Rangers bio: https://www.nhl.com/rangers/player/carey-terrance-8484236 Photos: Hartford Wolf Pack <Back

Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi <Back Diné (Navajo) Induction Category: Media Year Inducted 2022 Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi is a longtime storyteller from the Navajo Nation. She spent over a decade as sportswriter for the Navajo Times, telling stories of high school, college, and professional Navajo athletes. Clahchischiligi, a former athlete, developed an admiration for sports and storytelling at a young age. She completed six internships in three years, one at Sports Illustrated magazine in New York City. Clahchischiligi earned multiple awards for her writing in sports, editorial, community coverage, elder coverage, and investigative reporting. She wrote for the St. Cloud Times, the Albuquerque Journal, the Santa Fe New Mexican, the Osage News, Searchlight NM, and the Salt Lake Tribune. From her extensive coverage of basketball on the Navajo Nation, she has been dubbed an expert in rezball, a fast-paced style of basketball played throughout Indian Country. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian, to name a few. Clahchischiligi has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of New Mexico, a master’s degree in rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies from Northern Arizona University, and is currently a PhD candidate in rhetoric and writing at UNM. She also teaches composition in the English department.

< Back Kyle Ḵaayák’w Worl Kyle Ḵaayák’w Worl Tlingit, Deg Hit’an Athabascan and Yup'ik Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Kyle Ḵaayák’w Worl is an award-winning Arctic Sports athlete and coach currently residing in Juneau, Alaska. Worl is Tlingit of the Lukaax̱.ádi clan, Deg Hit’an Athabascan and Yup'ik. Over his 13 year career in the sport he has won over 100 medals, traveling through Alaska, Canada and Greenland to participate in various competitions. He is credited for spurring a renaissance in Arctic Sports in southeast Alaska as the first coach for Juneau in over 25 years to bring a team to the Native Youth Olympics in 2018. Along with training and coaching year-round in Alaska, Worl travels across the world to share Arctic Sports, including the Riddu Riddu Festival in Norway, Orenda Art International Gallery in Paris, and Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Currently, Worl works with the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska as the Wellness Coordinator, overseeing a region-wide Traditional Games program. A few of his accolades include being featured in October 2019 Men’s Health Magazine; 2018 & 2019 NYO Games Alaska Healthy Coach Award; 2021, 2018, 2017 & 2016 World Eskimo Indian Olympics Outstanding Athlete Award. Arctic Sports are a collection of Indigenous games based on hunting and survival skills of the north. The games trained both physical and mental abilities that allowed the indigenous people of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Chukotka to thrive in the Arctic for millennia. Today athletes from across the Arctic and beyond carry on the tradition of the games in events such as Native Youth Olympics, World Eskimo-Indian Olympic, and Arctic Winter Games. Photos: Nobu Koch, Sealaska Heritage and Greg Lincoln, Delta Discovery. <Back