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Introduction: The North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame (NAIAHF) honors and recognizes the indigenous sport cultures of 27 countries of North America by recognizing outstanding leadership and achievement in individual and team athletics. By honoring and celebrating the empowered journey of the annually inducted individuals and teams, the hope is their stories may inspire future generations to follow their dreams in athletics and life. Nomination Process: Nominations for individuals and teams to be considered for induction into the annual North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame are accepted throughout the course of the year until the October 21st noon central time deadline. Nominations are accepted for individuals or teams in the following categories: • Athlete • Coach • Team • Builder • Media • Official • Trainer Inductee eligibility: Inductees are recognized and honored, past and present, as Indigenous to North America including but not limited to Tribal, First Nation, Métis, Inuit including federally recognized and self-identified descendant in the listed categories throughout the year. Inductee’s may also be considered who are indigenous to North America and compete outside of North American and those who are indigenous outside of North America and compete in North America. The inductee’s credentials need to include being at the highest state, provincial, region, national or international sport recognition, and/or being recognized in college or professional athletic realms. To receive a nomination form or for additional information, contact Dr. Dan Ninham at 218.368.6430 (text preferred) or coach.danninham@gmail.co m . The annual nomination deadline is noon central time on October 21st for the next year induction. The inductee’s credentials need to include being at the highest state, provincial, region, national, international sport recognition, and/or being recognized in college or professional athletic realms. Induction Recognition: There may be a virtual banquet recognition to be determined. There will not be a hall of fame facility or in person awards banquet. Each inductee will receive a certificate. The stories of the inductees will be produced in online print and video in addition to being in a curriculum to be provided to schools and recreation communities. The induction announcement will be made on January 2nd of each induction class year.

< Back Phillip Raweriio Barreiro Phillip Raweriio Barreiro Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Thomas and Phillip Barreiro are multi-time Canadian Greco-Roman Wrestling National champions. They strive to be good role models for young people on the Akwesasne Reservation. As experienced coaches, they have logged many years and countless hours working with the younger generation in their community. They are both passionate about the sport and have a lot of love for the culture that raised them to be who they are today. They emphasize the importance for young people to develop mindful values and personal discipline. This is critical in order to help Akwesasne youth achieve a healthy lifestyle, not just for themselves but for the community as well. Phillip Barreiro has a passion for the sport of wrestling and mentoring young people, He began wrestling in eighth grade at the age of 14. While in high school, Barreiro was a New York State place winner and two-time 2006 and 2008 North American Indigenous Games Champion. Barreiro attended NCAA Division 1 American University from 2009-2013. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from American University in 2013 and went to work as a Court Administrator for Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe for eight years. During that time, he became a three-time Canadian National Champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling. Barreiro also spent a year as an assistant coach for NCAA D1 Binghamton University and he is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt. He recently started, alongside his brother Thomas, a non-profit youth development program titled GOOD MIND GRAPPLING. The program uses the sport of wrestling, and related grappling disciplines, to promote physical literacy and combat intergeneration trauma in indigenous youth. <Back

< Back Thomas Rahontsiiostha Barreiro Thomas Rahontsiiostha Barreiro Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Thomas and Phillip Barreiro are multi-time Canadian Greco-Roman Wrestling National champions. They strive to be good role models for young people on the Akwesasne Reservation. As experienced coaches, they have logged many years and countless hours working with the younger generation in their community. They are both passionate about sport and have a lot of love for the culture that raised them to be who they are today. They emphasize the importance for young people to develop mindful values and personal discipline. This is critical in order to help Akwesasne youth achieve a healthy lifestyle, not just for themselves but for the community as well.   Thomas Barreiro is a dedicated father of two who is passionate about making a positive impact in his community. Thomas began wrestling in eighth grade at the age of 14. While in high school, Barreiro was a New York State place winner and North American Indigenous Games Champion. Barreiro attended NCAA Division 1 American University from 2010-2013. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from American University in 2013 and spent nine years working with youth at the Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club. During that time, Barreiro became a six-time Canadian National Champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling representing Canada at both the World Championships and Pan-American Games. He also began coaching young wrestlers in his home community. He has recently started, alongside his brother Phillip, a non-profit youth development program titled GOOD MIND GRAPPLING. The program uses the sport of wrestling, and related grappling disciplines, to promote physical literacy and combat intergeneration trauma in indigenous youth. <Back

Team Member Name <Back Job Title Induction Category: Year Inducted Induction Category: Induction Category: Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

< 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

Gerald “Jerry” Tuckwin <Back Prairie Band Potawatomi Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2023 For over 30 years, Jerry Tuckwin coached and taught Native Americans at Haskell Institute, Haskell Indian Junior College and Haskell Indian Nations University. Tuckwin also attended Haskell and graduated from Haskell Institute in 1960 with his high school diploma where he was very active in sports. He was fortunate enough to receive a track and field scholarship from the University of Wichita (later Wichita State University) where he earned his baccalaureate degree in 1964. He returned to Haskell in 1965 to coach junior college basketball and assist in track and field. The following summer he was drafted but elected to serve four years in the United States Air Force. He is a Viet Nam veteran. In addition to this military obligation, Tuckwin completed his Master’s degree at the University of Arizona. During this time, Jerry married college sweetheart, Terry Maupin. Upon his discharge from the Air Force, he returned to Haskell to resume his coaching responsibilities which lasted until 2001. It was during this tenure that he coached Native students who earned All-American honors 30 different times. He learned very quickly that the runners had the talents to succeed. All he needed to do was give them the workouts, nurture their self-confidence, but mainly help in the development of their self-esteem. “He believes his success can be attributed to his ability to bring out their self-worth; they had the talent”. Upon his retirement in 2001 from his educational duties and coaching responsibilities, Tuckwin pursued employment with his tribe, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation where he served as the Chairman of the Potawatomi Entertainment Corporation Board in the casino industry. During this semi-retirement era, Coach Tuckwin also garnered awards from Nike Corporation for his success with Native runners, the Seminole Nation of Florida, the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, Outstanding Alumnus from Haskell Indian Nations University, and the first Inductee to the Kansas City Chiefs as a result of his work and contributions to Indigenous youth. Tuckwin has two children (John and Shannon, whom is deceased), five grandchildren and one great grandson. All are alumni of Haskell with the exception of his great grandson. Tuckwin continues to be active with the Haskell Foundation, his work with the Haskell Tekakwitha Catholic Center and the Haskell Alumni Association.

< Back Donny Belcourt Donny Belcourt Chippewa Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Donald “Donny” Belcourt attended high school in Billings, Montana and was part of a State Championship Cross Country team at Billings Senior High School. While in high school, Donny was also an amateur boxer and was a Montana State Golden Gloves Champion at 112 lbs. and was named Outstanding Fighter. Donny decided to focus on running and went to Haskell Indian Junior College, while under the tutelage of two legendary coaches, Coach Gerald Tuckwin and Coach Michael Daney. Donny became a three-time All American while competing in Indoor Track, 2 mile, Outdoor Track, 3000 meter Steeplechase, and Marathon, and led his team to a National Championship in the Marathon. Oklahoma State University and Coach Dick Weis gave Donny his next post-high school opportunity with a full ride track scholarship. At OSU, Donny was an All Conference and All Regional runner in Cross Country. Donny was able to really hit his stride post collegiately and in 1991 he represented the Western United States at the US Olympic Festival at 5000 meters. In 1992 he qualified for the US Olympic Trials at 1500 meters with a time of 3 minutes 41.3 seconds and 5000 meters in 13 minutes 46.2 seconds. Donny also qualified for the 1996 Olympic Trials at 1500 meters. The times Donny ran at 1500 meters and 5000 meters made him one of the fastest Natives to ever race these distances. Mesa, Arizona is where he currently calls home with his wife Jo Belcourt and their children Brett and Jocelynn Belcourt. <Back

< Back Amber Hill Amber Hill Upper Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Amber Hill is a member of the Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan, raised on the Tuscarora Reservation. Amber has played at all levels of lacrosse for women’s field including NCAA D1, professionally, and internationally, while also playing competitive women’s box lacrosse and winning gold medals in that discipline as well. Amber was selected to play on the First Nations Lacrosse that played in the 2005 International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations Cup of Nations Festival that was held in conjunction with the World Championship in Annapolis, Maryland. This experience fed into the first U-19 Haudenosaunee Nationals women’s team that would be allowed to compete on the international stage in 2007 in Peterborough, Ontario. In 2005, Amber walked on to the Syracuse University women’s team. In the Syracuse record books, Amber currently holds the second place for Most Season Saves at 193 and third place in Career Save Percentage at .511. She also led her team to the 2007 NCAA Quarterfinals, becoming the first indigenous woman to play in the NCAA tournament. In 2007, she led the Big East in saves with 10.16/game. She was named the 2007 Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Championship. She held the Big East Defensive Player of the Week, Athletic Directors Honor Roll, Big East Academic All-Star, and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll accolades. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in Political Science minoring in Legal Studies and Native Studies. Amber was honored to serve as Captain for the Haudenosaunee Nationals in the 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2017 World Lacrosse World Championships, and most recently in 2019 for the Pan-American Lacrosse Association World Championship qualifier where the team went 4-0 and won a gold medal. In 2018, Amber became one of the first Haudenosaunee women, alongside her cousin Awehiyo Thomas, to compete professionally in the United Women’s Lacrosse League (UWLX) with the Long Island Sound. In 2021, Amber became the first indigenous woman to compete in the inaugural professional season of Athletes Unlimited. She placed fourth out of eight goalkeepers, and 26th out of 59 players with 1,145 points. She holds fifth place in the Athletes Unlimited record book for Most Saves in a game at 10. Amber has continued her career with Athletes Unlimited into 2022 as a Facilitator/Coach and accrued a 12-0 record in her first season. In box lacrosse, Amber won 3 gold medals as a Captain with the Six Nations Snipers in the Arena Lacrosse League in 2017, 2018, and 2022. She also won two gold medals in the Women’s Major Series Lacrosse League in 2015 with the Niagara Turtle Islanders, and again in 2016 with the Grand River Attack. Amber is currently a women’s collegiate field lacrosse official. She was appointed by World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern to sit on the World Lacrosse Women’s Box Lacrosse Working Group, charged with growing women’s box lacrosse on the international stage. Amber was recently appointed to the Africa Sticks Advisory Board through the Ouallo Kouya Foundation serving and empowering Africas youth through lacrosse. Amber is the Founder of Vicious Lacrosse, training goalkeepers while addressing the mental-health challenges surrounding the position. <Back

< Back Gaylord Powless Gaylord Powless Mohawk, Wolf Clan Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Gaylord Powless was a Mohawk lacrosse player from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nations Reserve, Ontario, Canada where he was the eldest of 14 children born to Ross and Wilma Powless. Powless received his first lacrosse stick at age two and by age 17, he won the Tom Longboat Award as the best Indigenous athlete in Canada. In 1964, Gaylord was recruited by the Oshawa Green Gaels junior lacrosse team, by coach Jim Bishop to which he led to four consecutive Minto Cups from 1964 to 1967 and was chosen as the most valuable player in the series in 1964 and 1967. Powless turned professional in 1968 and, in 1969, played for the Rochester Chiefs, winning the Can-Am Lacrosse League title. He went on to a successful career in professional and senior amateur lacrosse with teams in Detroit, Syracuse, New York, Montreal, Brantford, Port Coquitlam, and Brampton as well as with the Six Nations team. Powless was also a star player for the Detroit Olympics of the National Lacrosse Association. He scored 63 goals in the 1968 season, twice as many as his nearest competition. He knew where everyone was at all times on the field of play, was an unselfish player, and an outstanding playmaker. Powless's career was cut short by injuries and in 1977, he retired at the age of 30. He had to withstand tremendous racism from coaches, players, fans, and sports writers. His reaction was to recognize that he was a target for bullying and abuse and to overcome it by being the best player, and the highest scoring athlete he could be. Sadly, Powless lost his battle with cancer on July 28, 2001, but his influence as a role model and inspiration to generations of Indigenous youth carries on. He left behind his wife Patti, daughters Michelle and Gaylene, and son Christopher (deceased 2015) who he coached in lacrosse to his Jr. career. His grandchildren Taylor, David, Kahner, Rachel and Kali continue his legacy through their love of sports, they would have been his greatest accomplishment. <Back

< Back Abby Roque Abby Roque Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Abby Roque grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and is Ojibwe from Wahnapitae First Nation. She grew up playing boys hockey in Michigan, and competed in two U18 Women’s Worlds winning a gold and silver medal. She then went on to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Roque and the Wisconsin Badgers won a National Championship in 2019, and multiple WCHA league championships. Individually she won WCHA Rookie of the Year, WCHA First Team, WCHA Player of the Year, and was Top-3 for the Patty Kazmaier Award. She graduated from the Business School at the University of Wisconsin with a degree in marketing. She made the USA national team in 2019 and has been a mainstay ever since. In her USA Hockey career she was named the 2020 USA Hockey’s Women’s Player of the Year. She has also competed in three IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning Gold once and Silver twice. She was the first indigenous player to play for Team USA in the Olympics, winning a silver medal in the Beijing 2022 Olympics. <Back

Dominic Tiger-Cortes Muscogee Creek Induction Category: Year Inducted Trainer 2024 <Back Dominic Tiger-Cortes is a Native youth programming consultant and a professional skills development basketball trainer based in New York City. He is the founder and Creative Director for “Honor Our Only Passion” (H.O.O.P.) Medicine, a program founded on a philosophy that Dominic created and lives by. He incorporates this philosophy when working with the youth by teaching basic fundamentals, advanced skills, and honoring the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health aspects that can be used for basketball and in life. H.O.O.P. Medicine’s mission is to create a positive wellness and healthy lifestyle culture for our youth and future generations. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Tiger-Cortes grew up with a passion for basketball. He was a four-year letterman at Glendora High School in California, where he tallied 1,667 career points, was a three-time All-League recipient, three-time All-California Interscholastic Federation recipient and the 2008 San Gabriel Valley Tribune Player of the Year. Tiger-Cortes continued on to Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas where he was a critical piece in the school’s winningest team in four years. Tiger-Cortes also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Haskell. Aside from his personal athletic career, he has extensive experience training athletes from colleges including Cal State Fullerton, University of Arizona, and NYU, as well as tribal colleges including Haskell Indian Nations University, United Tribes, Bacone College and Northwest Indian College. Tiger-Cortes trained professional players from leagues in Europe, Puerto Rico, Mexico, to the NBA G League. His true mission is to bridge his training experiences and share them with Native youth across all of Indian Country through sports, cultural and wellness programs. Having already collaborated with tribes across the country, such as Fort Mojave, Nez Perce, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Seminole Tribe of Florida, and Seneca Nation, Tiger-Cortes’ vision is to share the benefits of his journey with every tribe.

< 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