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< 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

Eugene Oree Foster <Back Navajo Induction Category: Media Year Inducted 2024 Eugene Oree Foster was a long-time resident of Fort Defiance, Arizona where he was born and raised. His late father, Harold Y. Foster, was a Navajo Code Talker and his mother is Margaret Foster. As a sports writer, Foster covered all sports at all levels including professional, college, high school, junior high school, elementary school, and community sports and leagues. He was also a heralded athlete at Window Rock High School (1968-71) in basketball, baseball, cross-country and track and field. He earned a college athletic scholarship to run cross-country and compete in track and field at Central Arizona College. Foster played semi-professional baseball with the Fort Defiance Indians. He was also a varsity school baseball coach and an assistant cross-country coach at Window Rock High and coached a little league baseball team, the Fort Defiance Indians. He received his AA Degree from Central Arizona College, BS Degree in Journalism from the Arizona State University, and MA Degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. Foster was a recipient of many awards including the Native American Journalist Sportswriter for 15 consecutive years, the prestigious Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Skip Bryant Media Award in 2010 and 2016, and the award for excellence, the Wall of Fame Award from Central Arizona College, for his outstanding journalism, as a historian, and a photojournalist. He was also a sports correspondent for Arizona State University Football, the Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball, Arizona’s Phoenix Suns Basketball, Professional Bull Riding (PBR), Ty Murray and Associates, the Arizona Interscholastic Activities (AIA) 365Sports, the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) Sports, the Arizona Republic, and the Gallup Independent Sports. These sports awards and recognitions were meant with excellent award-winning sports journalism reviews. As a sports editor for over 30 years at the Navajo Times newspaper, he established the Navajo Times All-Area Athletic Sports Teams, established the Arizona vs New Mexico Basketball Classic, founder of the Navajo Nation Sports Hall of Fame, founder of the Native American Basketball Invitation (NABI) for Youth, and founder of the Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball Native American Day for 10 consecutive years. He also recognized many athletes in the professional rodeo arena with the Indian National Finals Rodeo (NIFR), and the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) Association, and locally with the All-Indian Rodeo Cowboy Association (AIRCA), the Navajo Nation Cowboy Association (NNRCA). Oree Foster died on 3/1/2023 and will be missed.

< Back Brett Bucktooth Brett Bucktooth Onondaga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 While playing varsity lacrosse at LaFayette Sr. High School, New York, Brett Bucktooth was named a four-time All League player, a Central NY First Team All Star, and was an All American. He was the team captain and led the team to the Section 3 Championship three times and the team were NYS High School Class “C” State Finals Runner-up. Bucktooth played for the Canadian Jr. A and B teams and played 14 seasons with the Canadian Box Lacrosse Sr. B and A teams. While playing at Syracuse University, Bucktooth played midfield and attack positions and received team and individual honors. He led the Orange with 37 goals and 55 points his senior season. The team were 2004 NCAA D1 National Champions. He was named the 2005 STX/USILA All American Honorable Mention. He was also named to the 2006 STX/USILA All American Second Team, was team captain, and a USILA North-South Team Senior selection. He made the NCAA Tournament Team and the team were in the NCAA D1 Final Four in 2003, 2004 and 2006. Bucktooth had a 12 year professional career. He was the Major League Lacrosse 12th draft pick and played with the Boston Cannons, Rochester Rattlers, and Hamilton Nationals. He was the National Lacrosse League Third Draft Pick and played for the Buffalo Bandits, Vancouver Stealth, and New England Blackwolves. While with the Iroquois Nationals field lacrosse program, Bucktooth was the captain of the 1998 U15 World Games Tournament Festival team. He was named to the 2006 All World Team as a midfielder and was the captain of the 2014 bronze medal team and served as an assistant coach in 2018. During the indoor national team time, he was on the team that won the silver medal in 2007, 2011 and 2015 and he was the captain in 2011 and 2015. Brett is married to Sateiokwen and in her Mohawk language the translation is, “She picks things up evenly”. Fitting as she now harvests medicines and continues to use the language in running her own business. Brett is also a proud father to his children, Brett Jr, and Aura. <Back

< Back Ron Larsen Ron Larsen Oneida Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Ron Larsen is a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. He started running in 1978 at age 24 on the roads and streets of Oneida. In the early 1980's he ran marathons but after starting a family and a rehabilitation counseling firm it was recreationally. At age 50 in the early 2000's Ron started competing at the master then veteran masters (60+) level. Since 2003, Ron has participated in over 100 distance races. He has completed 65 road and trail marathons and half marathons; and events 10 to 35 miles. In addition, he has completed solo runs rim to rim at the Grand Canyon (3), Hilltop to Colorado River on the Havasupai reservation; and other events 4-12 hours duration, and track laps 100+. Highlights include certified marathon (26.2 mile) races that met the Boston Marathon qualifying standard in 27 of 28 attempts. He ran Boston Marathons in 2004, 2014, 2024 and will again in 2026. Ron has had 24 age group 1st place wins in road marathons and half marathons. At age 64, Ron was 1st overall at 3 of a Kind Half Marathon and at age 66 he was 3rd overall at the Golden Nights Half Marathon and 3rd place overall at the 2016 Valley of Fire Marathon in Nevada. Special races in Indian Country include the Paatuwaqatsi Water is Life 50k (1st place 60y) on the Hopi Reservation; Canyon De Chelly 55k (3rd 60y) Chinle Az; Navajo Code Talker 29k (1st age 60-65); Shiprock Marathon (1st 60-65). He ran trail marathons 2009-10 in Death Valley; (1st and 2nd place at 55y/o age group) and in 2022 at the Oneida New York Homelands, Great New York State Marathon (1st age group 65). Since age 70 in 2023, Ron has run four marathons; Boston, Mesa, Las Vegas and Green Bay and six half marathons; winning his age group in eight of 10 races. He credits success to a natural holistic diet, training more not less, having a strong heart, mind and spirit. He plans to continue running and to inspire others that running is a life time sport and with dedication to a healthy life and training one can achieve many goals as a senior athlete. Photo: Marathon Foto <Back

< Back Eden Wilson Eden Wilson Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2026 Eden Wilson is a Canadian bobsleigh athlete from mixed ethnic parentage, of Black, European and Indigenous ancestry. Although born in Manitoba, Eden grew up in Calgary, Alberta, where she attended Mount Royal University and received a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management in 2019. Eden earned her spot on the Canadian National Bobsleigh Team in 2020 and has competed in both the pilot and brakeman positions. Over the past six years, Eden has competed in numerous race circuits each year including North American Cups, (a 4x Gold Medalist, 6x Silver and 6x Bronze Medalist), Pan-American Cup Championship (Silver Medalist), the Europe Cup in Germany and Austria and the World Cup in Lillehammer. Eden continues to race on the World Cup Competition circuit again in the 2025/26 season in Italy, Austria, Germany, Norway and Latvia, as she accelerates towards her goal of representing Canada at the 2026 Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy. Off the ice, Eden combines her passion for athletic excellence with a deep commitment to community empowerment. She actively supports youth development through her full-time work with the non-profit organization, KidSport, helping to remove financial barriers enabling children to experience the benefits of organized sport. As a Classroom Champions mentor, Eden shares her journey and life lessons with students across Canada, encouraging them to set goals, stay active and believe in their potential. Since 2021, as an RBC Olympian Ambassador, Eden’s travels throughout Canada attending speaking engagements as keynote, motivational and guest speaker where she advocates for inclusive and fair opportunity in Sport for Indigenous Athletes. In addition, she also visits remote communities throughout Canada including Alberta, BC, northern Manitoba and the NWTs through RBC Training Ground to find athletic potential in young individuals who would otherwise not have the same access to participate. Driven by her heritage and the power of sport to unite and uplift, Eden continues to be a role model for Indigenous youth and a champion for inclusive opportunities in athletics. <Back

< Back Phyllis Bomberry Phyllis Bomberry Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Phyllis Bomberry was a former Canadian softball player who was born in 1942 at the Six Nations of the Grand River in southwestern Ontario. She was a Cayuga woman of the Wolf Clan and emerged as a star athlete in the 1950s. She played women’s intermediate softball with the Ohsweken Mohawks and helped the team win back-to-back provincial Intermediate B championships in 1960 and 1961. After moving to Toronto to complete high school, she was quickly recruited to play catcher for the Carpetland Senior A Team in the Ontario Senior Women’s League. She helped the Carpetland team win Canadian Softball Championships in 1967 and 1968, and was named Top Batter, All-Star Catcher, and most valuable player (MVP) in 1967, and All-Star Catcher again in 1968. In 1968, Phyllis became the first female recipient of the Tom Longboat Award, established in 1951 to recognize outstanding Indigenous athletes in Canada. She won a gold medal at the first Canada Summer Games in 1969 and she was named the Canadian MVP and All Star Catcher. Phyllis Bomberry was posthumously inducted into 2023 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in the Athlete category. <Back

< Back Michael Thompson Michael Thompson Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Michael “Mike” Thompson is a member of the Mohawk Nation and has lived, played and coached in Akwesasne for most of his life. He is one of the most decorated indoor box lacrosse goaltenders to ever play the game of box lacrosse, yet is kind, giving and humble to the core. Thompson played field lacrosse in high school and was an effective and intimidating defenseman. He began playing box lacrosse goalie at the age of 20 while playing in the Ontario Junior B Lacrosse league for the Akwesasne Lightening. He was a natural and quickly made a name for himself as one of the top goaltenders of his generation. He first played professional box lacrosse for the Ottawa Rebels and later enjoyed a professional career with the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League where he won the NLL Championship in 2008. During the summers, Thompson played in the Ontario Major Series Lacrosse League, often called Senior A, with the Peterborough Lakes. He won two Mann Cup Canadian National Championships with the Lakers and was named MVP of the Championship series when they won in 2012. Winning a Mann Cup is considered the pinnacle of success in the lacrosse world and being awarded the Mike Kelley MVP trophy was one of the greatest honors of his life. Thompson also enjoyed success with the Iroquois Nationals Men’s Box Lacrosse team having competed three World Championships. Thompson retired from professional lacrosse in 2012 to focus on coaching his two sons who are also incredibly talented and dedicated lacrosse players. He currently resides in Akwesasne with his wife, two sons and his daughter. <Back

< Back Dani Day Dani Day Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Dani Day is an enrolled citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota and a 1991 graduate of Bemidji High School. She earned two varsity letters each in volleyball and basketball. She earned five varsity letters for the Lumberjacks Track team, including one as an eighth grader, throwing the shot put and discus. She was elected team captain by her peers for volleyball and track. Dani held the Bemidji High School shot put record for more than 20 years with a throw of 29' 1-1/2". The summer after graduating high school, Dani had the opportunity to compete in track meets in Germany and Austria as part of the World's Sports Exchange. The meets had teams from all over Europe as part of the European Junior National Meet. Although Team USA did not score with the European teams, Dani placed second in the shot put and third in the discus alongside Europe's best Junior’s. In 1991, Dani received a full scholarship to Jamestown (ND) College to compete on the Jimmie volleyball team. In 1992, Dani transferred to North Dakota State University for academic reasons and walked on to the Bison track team where she was selected as team captain in 1995 and 1996. Dani held the NDSU school record in the Hammer Throw in 1996. In 1993, Dani competed for Team Minnesota at the North American Indigenous Games in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. She placed first in the shot put and second in the discus events. Her medals were presented to her by Indigenous track great Billy Mills. Dani also had the honor to carry the United States Flag into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony. <Back

< Back Pete Conway Pete Conway Blackfeet Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 Pete Conway’s basketball success is easy to follow because of the accolades he has earned along the way. His reputation as a standout player began with his high school career at Montana power Billings West High School. Conway led his team to four state tournament appearances and still holds the record for the most points scored in a game for the Golden Bears. He finished as the schools second all-time leading scorer and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball for the state of Montana in 1998. He opted to play his college basketball at NCAA Division I Montana State where he played on the school’s Big Sky Conference Championship Team in 2002 and was named All-Conference in 2003. Conway left Montana State with the second most three-pointers made in school history and became the 25th member of the 1,000 point club for the Bobcats. Conway received his Bachelors of Business Management from MSU in 2003. Conway continues to lead as the Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC). In only his second season at United Tribes the team advanced to the Region Championship and in his third year they won 20 games for the first time in 20 years. Conway has amassed over 100 wins at United Tribes and his teams have advanced to play in the Region Championship four times. He has coached three NJCAA All American athletes at UTTC. <Back

Rick Baker <Back Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2024 Rick Baker arrived at Hopi High School in Arizona in 1987. He has coached the boys program since 1987 and the girls program since 2017. Baker’s coaching honors include: 2022 National Federation of High School Athletics Cross Country Coach of the Year 2020 National Federation High School Athletics Hall of Fame 2015 National Federation High School Cross Country Coach of the Year National Federation High School-Cross Country Region-8 Coach of the Year two times Coached Hopi Boys’ Cross Country to 27 consecutive State Championships between 1990-2017; to 24 North Regional XC Championships between 1990-2014; and to two state runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019 Coached Hopi Girls Cross Country to two State Runner-Up Championships during the 2018 and 2019 seasons Coached nine Individual State Champions Coached Arizona’s only perfect score (15 pts.) at the 1999 State Meet Baker was also a national class runner. He was the 1977 Individual Arizona State Mile Champion (4:20.6), a team member of the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American-Indoor Distance Medley Relay, a team member of the NAIA All-American-Indoor and National Champion Distance Medley Relay, and honored as the Tony Coffin Award/Outstanding Athlete Award-Haskell Indian Junior College, 1978. Baker’s wife of 37 years is Deborah Secakuku Baker and sons are Chad Andrew Baker and Steven Secakuku Baker.

< Back Robert ‘Bob’ Gawboy Robert ‘Bob’ Gawboy Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Although the sport of swimming isn’t often associated with Native Americans, Robert ‘Bob’ Gawboy became an aquatic sensation, setting high school and collegiate records, eventually going on to break a world record in 1955. Bob Gawboy was born on the Vermilion Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota, on June 28, 1932. At the age of 14, his family moved to Ely where he attended Ely High School. Bob joined the swim team because it practiced at noon and he could then take the bus home after school, instead of walking 10 miles. In 1949, Ely High School won the state championship. Bob placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke. The following year, he broke a state record in the 200-yard free, and set national high school records in two IM events. He went on to Purdue, placing first in the 150-yard IM at the East-West collegiate competition. In 1952, at the NCAA Nationals he placed second in the 150-yard IM. Suffering from coordination problems, and a congenital arterial condition of his left leg, he was forced to stop swimming. After surgery on his leg, he started working out again in February, 1955, at the University of Minnesota, on a scholarship. Despite the two year hiatus and short time training, Bob shocked the sports world on April 1, 1955 at the AAU Indoor National Championship at Yale, where he swam the 220-yard breaststroke in 2:38.0, cracking the world-record. The pain in his leg was so severe during the race and the pent-up emotion over two years so great, that, upon winning, he erupted in whoops and hollers that was called war-whoops by the press with celebratory splashing around the pool. Bob Gawboy passed away on July 15, 1987 from multiple sclerosis, but not before he was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in Lawrence, Kansas, as the sole swimmer. Photo Credits: Purdue University and AP/Wide World Photos <Back

Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau Turtle Mountain Chippewa Induction Category: Year Inducted Trainer 2023 <Back Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau, Mukaday Maaingan (Black Wolf) from the Horse clan is from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. Jerry holds a Master’s degree in Administration graduating from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. He has worked as a teacher, administrator, project coordinator, director, and self-employed horse trainer. Jerry’s desire for thoroughbred horse racing and training began at the age of 16 when his father Larry Sr. with brothers Bill and Dave Sr. later identifying as “Gourneau Brothers Racing” purchased their first horse named “Sima’s Award”. His passion for racing grew as he began to work at various racing circuits in the United States and Canada. Tracks he frequented are Turf Paradise, Delta Downs, Fairgrounds, Sam Houston and Lone Star Park, Century Mile, Fonner Park, and Assiniboia Downs. He began to perfect his skills and knowledge as a horsemen along with the love of horses and his family pushed him to do the very best he could in making his First Nations people proud. Jerry just completed three consecutive years as the leading trainer at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, MB earning purse money of $1,850,050.00. The first leading trainer title came in 2019 and was successfully shared with his brother Dave Sr. The most memorable and meaningful times in horse racing are with family from Belcourt, ND and his wife Lyn Blackburde from Rainy River Manitou Rapids First Nation in Treaty 3 Ontario. Jerry was recently highlighted in a book published by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council celebrating the history of over 100 Indigenous athletes from Manitoba, Canada titled “A History of Excellence, The Untold Stories of Manitoba’s Indigenous Sport 2021”.