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< Back Ryan Dirteater Ryan Dirteater Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Ryan Dirteater is a Cherokee Native from Hulbert, OK. In 2008, he qualified for his first Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals in Las Vegas. Throughout his 14-year professional bull riding career, Dirteater battled through adversity and showcased his unwavering toughness. In 2016, he achieved a remarkable feat by winning the PBR World Finals and finishing fourth in the world. Dirteater's passion for the sport led him to qualify for the PBR World Finals 12 times and secure victory in nine PBR televised events. In 2020, Dirteater made the difficult decision to retire from bull riding as he felt complacent, believing that complacency was the worst state for a professional athlete. However, in 2022, he decided to come out of retirement for the inaugural PBR Teams series, driven by the belief that the new format offered him a second chance at winning a championship title. Dirteater’s dedication and determination to succeed led him to get back in top bull riding shape within just four months. The Nashville Stampede, a team that believed in Dirteater's abilities, drafted him in the third round. Throughout the season, he proved himself as one of the team's starters and a veteran leader. Together, the Nashville Stampede captured the Team Championship title in 2022 at the T-Mobile Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. This victory fulfilled Dirteater's lifelong dream of winning a championship title and left him feeling accomplished. <Back

< Back Dale McCourt Dale McCourt Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 Dale McCourt played major junior in the Ontario Hockey Association (today's OHL). As a 15-year-old, he was already playing Tier II junior hockey when called up by the Sudbury Wolves for part of the 1972–73 OHA season. He joined the Hamilton Red Wings for the full 1973–74 OHA season, and was team captain by the time the renamed Hamilton Fincups won the 1975–76 OMJHL Championship and then the national 1976 Memorial Cup championship. In 1976–77, McCourt led the relocated St. Catharines Fincups as the team won the OMJHL Regular Season Championship. That season, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the league's Most Outstanding Player and was voted the nationwide CHL Player of the Year. Dale was also awarded the William Hanley Trophy as the OMJHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player in both 1975–76 and 1976–77. In the 1977 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, McCourt scored 18 points, a Canadian record he shares with Brayden Schenn and one point more than Eric Lindros and Wayne Gretzky. McCourt was drafted 1st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1977 NHL amateur draft. He successfully scored 33 goals in the first year with the team and was entitled to NHL rookie of the year with the Red Wings. McCourt was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in December 1981 and claimed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs in October 1983, finishing his NHL career at the end of the 1983–84 NHL season, with 478 points in 532 games played. McCourt then played for 8 seasons for HC Ambrì-Piotta, in the top Swiss league where his number 15 jersey is retired. His coaching career highlight includes representing Italy as an assistant coach with the Italian National Ice Hockey Team at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. <Back

< Back Aspen Wesley Aspen Wesley Choctaw Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Aspen Wesley was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in 2000. She is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and grew up in the Pearl River Community on the Choctaw Indian reservation. She sees playing softball as her way to inspire the next generation of native kids in her tribe and others. Aspen graduated from Mississippi State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in the spring of 2024 and played on a softball scholarship for five years. She was named 2024 second team all-SEC, two-time NCAA Pitcher of the Week, two-time SEC Pitcher of the Week, and 2023 NFCA All-America scholar-athlete. Aspen helped Mississippi State to their first-ever super regional in 2022. She then played professionally for the Texas Monarchs and was selected as an all-star. She also played overseas in New Zealand. She went to Neshoba Central High School and is a six-time state champion and four-time Mississippi softball Gatorade Player of the Year. When Aspen is done playing softball, she wants to be a pitching coach for college schools. She would love to give back to her community and educate/motivate Native kids to see the world, whether sports-related or academics. Her family and her native people are what have given her the drive to strive for more. Aspen remains committed to pushing the boundaries, learning, and helping others. She hopes to make a meaningful impact in her professional work and community. <Back

< Back Miguel Lara Miguel Lara Tarahumara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Miguel Lara’s record as an ultramarathon runner is very impressive and has resulted in him winning recognition across the globe. He has finished first in more than 20 ultramarathons, including three times each at Ultramarathon Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon, Ultramaratón de las Canones and the Born to Run Series. He participated in the Boston Marathon in 2017, won the Ultra X Mexico in 2019. He won four races in 2016 including the Red Rock and Beyond 50 miles in 6:43.23, Wild Wild West Ultra 50k in 4:32.22, the Born to Run Ultra 60k in 8:13.06, and the Kodiak Ultra 100 miles in 19:58.00. Photo/Bio Credit: Ultra X <Back

< Back Rainelle Jones Rainelle Jones Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Rainelle Jones is part Cree on her mother’s side and grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland with her two parents Michelle Jonasson-Jones and Thomas Jones, and her younger siblings Reis, Ria, Renee & Ryla Jones. Playing on varsity basketball and volleyball freshman year at Oxon Hill High school, she soon committed to the University of Maryland for volleyball as a freshman in 2015. Soon selected as PrepVolleyball's No. 32 Senior Ace in 2016 and 2017, Rainelle Jones was one of 22 players selected to the USA High Performance Youth A1 Team. Coming to the University of Maryland in 2018, Rainelle Jones, freshman through her grad year of college played and contributed to Maryland becoming one of the best Blocking teams in the Big10 and NCAA. Meanwhile, in the 2020-2021 season, she was the first athlete to kneel during the National Anthem as a fight for social injustice. Using the NCAA NIL opportunities, she worked with merchandise companies raising awareness with slogans and a vision for the future as an activist. Becoming a guest speaker for Maryland Athletics in conferences, classes, podcasts, and events as a student-athlete. In addition to being a spokeswoman for the Big10 volleyball and athletics since 2021. In 2022, Rainelle graduated with an American Studies degree and a minor in Leadership Studies. On the court, by her graduate year, she reached her 700th career kills and becoming the #1 in program history leading Maryland Volleyball in total Blocks. A 4x Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, a 2x Big Ten and NCAA blocks per set leader, and historically the first student-athlete in Maryland Athletics to be #1 in the NCAA ever. Rainelle is currently signed to play overseas professional volleyball. Photo Credits and Captions: University of Maryland volleyball game and roster photo, year 2022 <Back

< 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 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

< 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 Aidan Howry Aidan Howry Comanche Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Aidan Howry is a proud member of the Comanche Nation. He is the great-great-grandson of Ethel Michobey-Howry, the grandson of John Henry Howry, and the son of John and Lori Howry. Aidan is the most accomplished Junior World Raw Power Heavyweight Lifter in AAU history, as well as the most accomplished multi-organizational Raw Powerlifters in the United States as a whole. Aidan has won the OFBCA State Championship, N.A.S.A. State Championship, AAU State Championship and AAU 13-15 Year Old Champion raw power all at 242 lbs. From ages 12 and 13, Aidan had 315 lbs. Squat, 365 lbs. Deadlift, and an American Full Power total of 850 lbs. all of which he earned A.A.U. American records for. From 14 to 15 years old, Aidan had 264 lbs. Bench Press, 468 lbs. Deadlift, and a total lift amount of 1,157.4 lbs. He proceeded to win the A.A.U. World Championship and set 3 World Records, USPL National Championship, N.A.S.A. National High School Championship, and the OFBCA State Championship at 308 lbs raw power. From 18-19 years old, he won the OFBCA State Championship, the A.A.U. Junior Olympic Championship, an A.A.U American and A.A.U. World Record also weighed in at 308 lbs. raw power. Aidan had a deadlift of 617.5 pounds at the A.A.U. Junior Olympics. This lift earned an American and World Record. Aidan holds four American records, four World records, and one National Record. He was named the Oklahoma All-District Class A Player from 2019-2021, 2021 Class A Lineman of the Year, VYPE Magazine Class A All-State player 2019-2021, Top 100 player in the Daily Oklahoman, and Tulsa World All Metro Offensive Lineman of 2021. Aidan was also invited and participated in the prestigious NBC Sports All American Combine. Aidan has been awarded many football accolades and honors throughout the duration of high school, but currently as an active scholarship student athlete. He received an offer to play Division 1 at University of Central Arkansas where he played in one game as a true freshman. Aidan went on to enter the transfer portal where he received a scholarship to play football at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. At SOSU, he played every game of his Red Shirt freshman year regular season, as well as the Live United Bowl Game. Photo Credits: Dan Hoke and Lori Howry <Back

< 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

Harold Ladouceur Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Trainer 2024 <Back Harold Ladouceur was raised in between northern Alberta and the Kikino Metis settlement and Saulteux and Moosomin Reserves in Saskatchewan. Horses had been his family's life since he could remember. Whether it be work horses logging or weekend rodeos. Understanding the needs of horses was ingrained in Ladouceur as a boy. Racing thoroughbreds would ultimately be the path that Ladouceur would find himself. His late Grandfather Alec Poitras trained countless thoroughbreds that would race on the B circuit. As a teenager Ladouceur would be exercising and grooming in the morning and race riding in the afternoon. Ladouceur honed his skills as an exercise rider before traveling to Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg where he would meet his future wife. The couple traveled to Florida where he would find his niche in breaking yearlings for prominent pin hookers that would take them across America working the training sales. They found themselves under the tutelage of renowned horseman Luke McKathan who would be instrumental in his career eventually holding two track records with horses McKathan would later send him. 25 years later Ladouceur still does business with the McKathan family. A fateful afternoon at the CTHS auction, where a slight framed bay filly caught his eye at the Hill N Dale consignment. He had to have her. Hip 98 would be named Paladin Bay by Ladouceur’s mother-in-law, meaning defender and champion. That she was. Winning numerous stakes one being the graded Selene. She was nominated for two and three year old champion filly. Paladin Bay would earn almost 700k before being sold to the prestigious Calumet farm. Some of Ladouceur's achievements are winning the Inaugural Turf Endurance Championship for longtime owner Kirk Sutherland with Tesseron, placing in the Grade 1 International with turf star Primo Touch, and winning the Kingarvie with homebred Jurojin. Barn favorites Wake up Maggie, Splendid Glory, and McCulley earned in the 150k range. Ladouceur has a loyal roster of top woodbine trainers that entrust him with their yearling purchases to be started and paved the way for a successful racing career. The ability to communicate with these young horses and allow them to learn how to safely and happily become racehorses undoubtedly comes from his heritage. To the plains Cree a horse is embraced as a brother. This reputation played a role in being hired to train for the iconic Stronach Stables. Ladouceur believes that horses are sacred animals that will speak to you, one only has to listen.

< Back Lauren Schad Lauren Schad Cheyenne River Lakota Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Lauren Schad is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Lakota Nation and raised in He Sapa (The Black Hills) located in Rapid City, South Dakota. She was recruited by the University of San Diego (USD) and in her sophomore and junior seasons, she earned a spot on the USA Collegiate National Volleyball Team roster. She also received All-American Honors. Schad ranked second best in single season hitting percentage in USD history, nationally third ranked in hitting percentage at .410 in the NCAA out of all seniors, was #1 in the WCC in hitting percentage and tenth all-time in career blocks at USD. Following graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a minor in English, she was invited to be a Nike N7 Ambassador and played professionally for five seasons in the top league in France, where she and her team won silver in both the Coupe de France and the Championship of France and receiving bronze her following two seasons. She competed in the Champions League for three seasons out of five in France competing against world renowned athletes. During Lauren’s off seasons, she has remained active in her home and tribal communities organizing and hosting camps for Indigenous youth throughout the US and Canada. In 2019, the Red Ribbon Skirt Society asked her to be their first Healing the Globe Ambassador for MMIWG2S. Following her retirement from volleyball in the summer of 2022 she began her textile business, Wicahpi Rugs & Textiles, where she uses Lakota star knowledge and stories to inspire modern art. Lauren hopes through these efforts she will help to increase the visibility and opportunities for youth living in rural areas while shedding light to issues facing Indigenous communities. Action Photo Credit: Alexandrine Maguer Spilers Profile Photo Credit: Taylor Schad <Back