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< Back Oren Lyons Oren Lyons Onondaga Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Nation. He serves on the Grand Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy –Haudenosaunee. Oren holds the title of Professor Emeritus at SUNY Buffalo, has a Doctor of Laws Degree from his Alma Mater, Syracuse University and Lyons Hall at SU is named in his honor. Chief Lyons is an All-American Lacrosse Hall of Famer, and Honorary Chairman of the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Team. He is an accomplished artist, environmentalist, author, and global presenter and holds the title of Wisdom Keeper. He is a leading voice at the UN Permanent Forum on Human Rights for Indigenous Peoples, serves on the Executive Committee of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders for Human Survival, acts as Chairman of the Board for both the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development and Seventh Generation Fund. Recipient of several prestigious awards including Green Cross International Environmental Icon Award, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev. The United Nations NGO World Peace Prize, the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, The Rosa Parks and George Arents Award for Environmental and social activism and receiving Sweden’s prestigious Friends of the Children Award with his colleague the late Nelson Mandela, also included in his list of acknowledgments are the UN World Peace Prize, Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor, Native American Hall of Fame Chief Lyons is a constantly sought-after speaker, a subject of several documentaries, films and a tireless advocate for American Indian causes and Indigenous rights. Oren is a founding member of One Bowl Productions and serves as a constant reminder of humanity’s responsibilities to the earth and our future generations. <Back

< Back Natalie Nicholson Natalie Nicholson Arikara/Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Natalie Nicholson, Arikara/Ojibwe, is the daughter of Bruce & Millicent Simenson. She is married to John and together they have two daughters Stella and Mya. Natalie is enrolled in The Three Affiliated Tribes and is from Bemidji, Minnesota. Natalie is a 2010 Winter Olympian in the sport of Curling, nine time USA National Curling Champion, two time Junior National Curling Champion, 2006 World Championship Silver Medalist, 2004 & 2007 World Championship Semi-finalist and has 10 time World Championship appearances. She was honored in 2009 as Female Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year in 1997 and 2004. Natalie practices Shotokan Karate and earned her Shodan Blackbelt in 2022. Natalie has her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing graduating in 2022 and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in 2021. Natalie works as a Nurse Practitioner & Indigenous Lactation Counselor for Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming “Birthing Long Ago in Home, Lodge or Hospital”. Mewinzha provides Anishinaabe-led maternal child health and family wellness services by braiding both western and Native American traditional knowledge of health, wellness, and community into practice throughout the holistic health journey of our relatives. Natalie is honored to have the opportunity to be able to co-create our own maternal-child community health clinic: Gaa-giigishkaakaawasowaad “A Place Where Pregnant Women Gather”. <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 Lindy Waters III ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Lindy Waters III Kiowa/Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Lindy Waters III is a Native American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Boulder, Colorado to Lisa and Lindy Waters, Jr. At age four, Lindy, his parents and his three sisters, Leana, Loren and Lindsey, moved to Norman, Oklahoma where he attended school and played several sports, including basketball, baseball, and football. After graduating from high school, Lindy was offered multiple college basketball scholarships. He attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he started in over 100 games and finished his college basketball career with over 1,000 points, 250 assists and 100 steals. Lindy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. He is a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation. In 2018, Lindy was named “Indian of the Year” by the American Indian Exposition, one of the nation’s oldest and largest intertribal celebrations. In 2022, he founded the Lindy Waters III Foundation whose mission is to enhance and support Native American youth and Indigenous communities through sports, health and wellness, and leadership programs. The foundation is committed to providing a platform for individual improvement, opportunity, exposure and access for all Native youth. Action shot photo credit: Getty Images Profile photo credit: Loren Waters, Waters Media <Back

< Back Vic Mercredi Vic Mercredi Métis Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Vic Mercredi achieved the honour of being the first player born and raised in the Northwest Territories to be drafted and signed by a National Hockey League Team in 1973. Mercredi started his junior career in 1969 playing in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League for the Penticton Broncos. In his first season he scored 16 goals and 34 points in 48 games. He followed this season by continuing and improving with 50 goals and 106 points in 51 games, making many take note of his skills as an offensive player. He was awarded the British Columbia Junior Hockey League Most Valuable Player trophy and was a unanimous First Team All-Star. After two seasons with the Broncos, Mercredi moved up to major junior hockey playing two seasons with the New Westminster Bruins in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League. He continued to grow and establish himself as a solid offensive player, scoring 24 goals and 54 points in 68 games. Mercredi could shoot equally well both left-handed and right handed. He took advantage of this unique ability by using a straight stick. In 1973, Mercredi was drafted 16th overall in the first round of the 1973 National Hockey League Amateur Draft by the Atlanta Flames and 35th overall in the 1973 World Hockey Association Amateur Draft by the Houston Aeros. This was a start of a successful professional career that included 68 games with the 1973 Omaha Knights, scoring 21 goals and 57 points, two games in the National Hockey League with the 1974 Atlanta Flames, 64 games with the 1974 Omaha Knights scoring 10 goals and 26 points, three games with the 1975 Calgary Cowboys in the World Hockey Association, and 52 games with the 1975 Baltimore Clippers in the American Hockey League. His next stop was Stockholm, Sweden with the Hammarby IF in 1976. There he played 18 games, scoring five goals and 14 points. He returned home to the successful career with two seasons in the Pacific Hockey League playing 42 games with the 1977 Phoenix Roadrunners, scoring 16 goals and 40 points and 29 games with the 1978 Tucson Rustlers, scoring 8 goals and 28 points. Mercredi finished his career with the 1979 Delta Kings in the British Columbia Senior Hockey League. <Back

< Back Levi Parker Webster Levi Parker Webster Oneida Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Enrolled Oneida Nation member of Wisconsin, Levi Parker Webster, better known as Chief Tallfeather, was a prolific runner and football player in the early to mid-twentieth century. Tallfeather was born in 1884 in Oneida, WI. He worked on his family’s farm in rural West De Pere, WI until he was taken to Carlisle Indian Boarding School in Pennsylvania, where he learned English and became a track star. It was also in Pennsylvania where he played professional football with the Frankfort Athletic Club, Pittsburg Lyceums, and the Akron Tigers. Through it all, though, distance running was Tallfeather’s true passion. After playing football, Tallfeather joined the army and served in World War I. Even during his service, he ran races in Occupied France. After the war, he continued his running exploits by competing against any challenger who thought they could beat him. He also accepted commissioned offers to run in publicity events, including one that would instantly establish his legendary status. At age 42, just before his marriage to Servilla Amanda (Dell) Skenandore in 1927, he was contracted by the Chicago Tribune to honor their anniversary by running 94.3 miles, non-stop, from Milwaukee to Chicago, which he did so in 19 hours, 32 minutes. In a Green Bay Press Gazette article by locally famous journalist and Green Bay Packers Public Relations Executive, Lee Remmel, Tallfeather said, “I’m quite sure I could have done better if I could have stopped to change my shoes a couple of times.” Tallfeather did sustain foot and leg injuries during the event, and even collapsed at the end, but he eventually recovered to continue his career. In 1934, on his 50th birthday, he ran 54 miles from Green Bay’s city hall to the city hall of Oskosh, WI, to initiate a tercentennial celebration. Two other noteworthy events happened earlier in his career in 1911 where he ran the fastest mile (4:13) in Dover, England and in 1929, he ran 9 miles from Green Bay to Mill Center, WI in 53 minutes. Tallfeather was buried next to his wife, Servilla, on May 3, 1962 at Oneida Holy Apostles Cemetary in Oneida, WI. <Back

Sam McCracken Sioux and Assiniboine Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2022 <Back Sam McCracken, is a member of the Sioux and Assiniboine tribes in northeastern Montana on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation and the General Manager of Nike N7. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the board for the Center for Native American Youth. McCracken started with Nike in 1997. He became the Manager of Nike’s Native American Business in 2000 and led the development of the Nike Air Native N7 shoe, the retail collection and the fund which provides access to sport for Native American and Indigenous youth in North America. Since 2009, the fund has awarded more than $8 million in grants to Tribal communities, reaching more than 500,000 youth. McCracken received Nike’s Bowerman Award in 2004, named after Nike co-founder and track and field coach Bill Bowerman. He was honored by the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge with the George Washington Honor Medal in 2004. In 2007, he was coined a "corporate change maker" and named among the 20 most innovative global “Intrapreneurs” by sustainability.com. He worked with Nike to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Health Service in 2003 and 2009, and with the Bureau of Indian Education in 2010 bringing access to sport for Native American communities. He was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Advisory Council on Indian Education in 2010 and received the President’s "Leadership Award" from the National Indian Gaming Association in 2010. More recently, McCracken and N7 received the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 2019 Corporate Business of the Year award and in 2020, McCracken was inducted into the Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2022, McCracken was honored by the World Economic Forum as the Schwab Foundation’s Social Intrapraneur of the Year.

Athena Aitken <Back Anishinaabe/Hocąk Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2024 Athena Aitken was born and raised in Northern Minnesota and is a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. In her high school years she was a tri-sport athlete competing at varsity level in volleyball, track and field, and golf. At age 16 during a Student Ambassador trip to New Zealand and Australia, Aitken fell in love with the sport of rugby and decided to play in college. Beginning her rugby career at Colorado State University, she played as a utility forward for two seasons before transferring to a university closer to home. Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) had a thriving women's club rugby team where Athena played as a tight-five forward for four years. In 2012 after graduating from MSUM with a Bachelors in Anthropology, Aitken wanted to stay involved with rugby since most collegiate clubs at the time were player-led and coached. She took the USA Rugby coaching certification and became a volunteer coach for MSUM Women's Rugby. In her first year coaching the team reached their second-ever post season playoff game, but lost. The next year the team progressed to regionals before taking their first loss of the season. In 2014 MSUM Women made their first appearance at Nationals in New Jersey, placing third. 2015 saw the team win every game they played, culminating in a National Championship title in South Carolina. Since their title the MSUM Women's team has enjoyed post season play to the regional level every year, in addition to their appearances at Nationals in Georgia in 2018 and 2019 placing fourth and third respectively. Aitken takes pride in teaching the bruising sport of rugby to collegiate athletes that have never seen or heard of the sport. In all her years at MSUM she has coached a total of two players with previous rugby experience. With such a short time to teach new players an entirely new game she has to lean on their previous sports experience and empower them with physical and mental tools to succeed.

< Back Larry Foster Larry Foster Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Larry Foster is of the Kinyaa’a’anii (Towering House People Clan) born for the Dzil’ta’ahnii (Mountain Cover Clan). Raised in the Fort Defiance, Arizona community to the late Navajo Code Talker Harold Y. Foster, Sr. and Margaret Foster. As a student athlete at Window Rock High School, he earned All-Conference and All-State honors in three sports from 1966-1968 in baseball, football, and basketball. He was named to the All-Area Connie Mack San Juan Basin League and the Navajo American Legion Baseball League. Upon graduating from high school, he played two years at Bacone Junior College in Muskogee, OK under Coach Negial A. King, and played in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series in Grand Junction, CO. He went on to play at Adams State College in Alamosa, CO, He was named as Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Batting Champion in 1971, under Coach Louie Long with a .442 batting average, where he was part of winning the RMAC District #7 finals and a trip to the NAIA playoffs in Pueblo, CO. After his college career, he played semi-pro baseball and was a nine-time All-Tournament outfield and batting champion. He also played in All-Indian baseball tournaments in Northern Arizona Baseball League tournaments from 1964-1976. He competed in leagues with All Pueblo Indian, Southwest Salt River Agency, Colorado River Indian, and Southern Arizona in Tucson, Arizona and competed in Amateur Softball Association (ASA) fast pitch softball that earned him trips to the National All Indian ASA fast pitch tournaments in Oklahoma City; Bell Gardens; California Indian Softball; Soboba Indian Reservation, CA; and, Gallup, NM. Foster was inducted into the Southwest All Indian Sports Hall of Fame in Phoenix, AZ in 2008 and the Navajo Nation Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. He is married to Mattie Foster, with two adopted kids, and seven grandchildren. Foster received BA in Sociology and AA in Public Health from UCLA in 1980. He is a retired Public Health Advisor and Infectious Disease Coordinator in Arizona, NM and Navajo Nation. Presently, he’s an advocate with the American Indian Religious Freedom, Apache Stronghold and Sportswriter for local area high school on social media. <Back

< Back Laticia DeCory Laticia DeCory Oglala Lakota Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Laticia "Doni" DeCory's life journey is the epitome of excellence that has resonated across multiple domains. DeCory's early years were marked by exceptional accomplishments in high school. A three-time first team South Dakota all-state athlete in basketball, she was bestowed with the honor of being part of the All-USA Today South Dakota team and the USA Today Athlete of the Year for South Dakota. Notably, she was a three-time state shot put champion and held a state record in shot put. She was named valedictorian from Pine Ridge High School. Her collegiate journey continued the legacy of triumph, with DeCory playing basketball at Brigham Young University (BYU) and excelling in track and field at Utah State. Her achievements included being a part of the 1994 Big West conference team champions and establishing a Western Athletic Conference Shot Put record. She continued to carve her legacy, becoming the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year for BYU women's basketball. DeCory diligently training for the US Olympic track and field team as a heptathlete and contributing to the inaugural Indigenous nation handball development team. She was recognized as a Converse All-American in high school and an Academic All-American in college at Utah State. She also was a Divison 1 assistant coach for the University of South Dakota. DeCory's prowess was not confined to the sporting arena. In her professional career, her influence extended into public health and medical care, with notable roles at the CDC and two decades of service as a respected pulmonologist and respiratory care specialist. She further made her mark in corporate healthcare as a Quality and Compliance Director for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and other private facilities. However, it's her enduring commitment to youth development that sets her apart. As the director of Youth Opportunity and the co-founder of the BEAR program, she has directly impacted the lives of over 3,000 young individuals, guiding them towards professional careers in fields ranging from medicine to academia. Laticia "Doni" DeCory's life is a testament to the heights that can be reached through unwavering dedication and a commitment to excellence. <Back

< Back Julius Poitra Julius Poitra Arikara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Julius Poitra grew up on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in the small town of White Shield, North Dakota. His Indian name, Swift Spirit, was given to him by his step mother Roberta Bear - sister to Robert Bear, the former Arikara Chief. Julius started running while in seventh grade at White Shield. Don Yellowbird, his cross country and track coach, was also his mentor and a father figure. Julius participated in football, basketball, track, and cross country. He excelled in running and won many high school races. During his senior year, Julius won the state two-mile outdoor and 3,000-meter indoor championships. Julius was ranked North Dakota's number one runner in track, and cross country, each year of high school and went on to All American while in college. After leaving White Shield, Julius attended Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. Julius competed in the track and cross country programs and was awarded the Tony CoffinAward. During his sophomore year of college, Julius was undefeated in cross-country winning the regional title and advancing to the national cross-country meet. He made All-American status running two miles with a foot injury. Julius ran the mile relay, two-mile run, steeple chase, as well as many indoor and outdoor track events. He was invited, and participated in, the Kansas University mile relay and during the summer ran in the national marathon and won the Team National Championship. He was recruited by several colleges and/or universities: University of Southern Alabama, University of Florida, Kansas State University, and North Dakota State University. After graduating from Haskell with a two-year degree, Julius enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve his country. He is a Desert-Storm veteran - serving from 1988 to 1993. After being honorably discharged, Julius returned to his home in White Shield and worked with students with special needs as well as coaching boys and girls track, cross country, and basketball for 25 years. After 25 years at White Shield School, Julius retired to enjoy the country life. He recently decided to come out of retirement to work for White Shield's Public Safety Department. Although he is back at work again, he still finds time to enjoy fishing, hunting, boating, and camping with his grandchildren. <Back

< Back Dean Hill Dean Hill Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Dean Hill excelled at hockey and lacrosse growing up in the Six Nations of the Grand River community. Hill enjoyed a very successful Jr. B lacrosse career with the Six Nations Rebels and the St. Catharines Spartans, which led him to being drafted by the Minnesota Swarm of the National Lacrosse League. Hill would play 10 seasons in the NLL recording 247 points in the regular season and adding 12 more in the playoffs. Hill was known as a power play specialist who many considered to have the best one-timer in the game. In his second NLL season he led the Minnesota Swarm with 32 goals with 12 of them coming on the power play. Hill won a Canadian University Lacrosse Championship with Brock University and a Canadian Sr. B Championship with the St. Regis Braves. He also helped the Iroquois Nationals win two Silver Medals at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships in 2007 and 2011. In the 2007 gold medal game with Canada leading the Iroquois 14-13, Dean Hill scored with 5 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game. Canada would go on to win the game 15-14 in sudden death overtime. That game is still considered one of the most thrilling indoor lacrosse games ever played. Hill was known for being a great teammate and for his high lacrosse IQ. Upon his retirement from playing he made a seamless transition from player to coach and embarked on a very successful coaching career. He won two Canadian Championship Minto Cups with the Six Nations Jr. A Arrows in 2015 and 2017 and led the Six Nations Rebels to a silver medal finish in the Founders Cup Jr. B Canadian Championships in 2019. Sadly, Dean Hill passed away due to complications in his sleep September 6, 2021 at the age of 36. <Back