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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.

Nicole Johnson Category Athlete Tribe Inupiaq Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 5/20/1969 Nicole Johnson’s passion for Inuit games started in fifth grade when she learned how to do the Two-Foot High Kick after church in a youth program. Inuit games are games that were played to build the survival skills Indigenous people of the North played to develop the skills need for everyday survival and just for fun. In seventh grade, Nicole entered her first competition at the 1982 Native Youth Olympics (NYO), taking first place in the Two-Foot High Kick. She continued to compete through high school, at NYO, the World Eskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO), and the Arctic Winter Games (AWG). After high school she continued to compete until 2004, over the years winning over 100 medals, earning the outstanding athlete award, and sportsmanship award, at various competitions. She has set records in several events over the years, setting her first record in the Two-Foot High Kick at the 1985 NYO and continued to break her record until the 1989 WEIO, kicking 6’6”. This record held for 25 years. Her record in the Two-Foot High Kick at AWG, still holds at 6’5”. In 2017, Nicole was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, as an athlete and ambassador to Native Games. Nicole is the former chairwoman of WEIO, and current President of AWG Team Alaska. Nicole currently works with the Cook Inlet Tribal Council, coaching youth, training officials, assists with organizing the statewide Native Youth Olympics competitions, and acting as the head official for many different competitions. Her passion for the Inuit games continues by sharing and preserving the rich history and culture of these sports through coaching, instruction at schools, throughout Alaska, the lower 48, and the Yukon territories. Photo: Cook Inlet Tribal Council Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Delby Powless Category Athlete Tribe Mohawk Year Inducted 2022 Delby Powless is member of the Mohawk Nation. He is a Youth Counselor in his home community, Six Nations of the Grand River, in Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelors degree in Child Protection and Juvenile Justice and from Wilfred Laurier University in Children’s Mental Health. In high school Powless participated in multiple sports including lacrosse, hockey, football and wrestling. In wrestling he was a Provincial Champion and a Canadian National Silver Medalist. Powless played five seasons with the Six Nations Junior A Arrows lacrosse club and is currently the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 686 total points. While attending Herkimer County Community College, Powless was twice named All-American. He transferred to D1 Rutgers University where he led the Scarlet Knights in scoring both years and was a 2x All-American, while leading Rutgers to 2 NCAA tournament appearances. Powless also won a Canadian University lacrosse championship with Brock University and was named All-Canadian. Powless represented the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team as a player at six World Championships, and at the first-ever World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, he was selected to the All-World Team. In 2003 Powless was named the recipient of the Tom Longboat Award as Canada’s Top Aboriginal Athlete. He was drafted 1st overall in the 2004 National Lacrosse League entry draft by the Buffalo Bandits and helped them win the Champions Cup in 2008. Powless also played in Major League Lacrosse with Toronto Nationals winning the Steinfeld Cup in 2009. Powless was the head coach of Hagersville Secondary School Men’s Lacrosse teams for 8 seasons leading them to 5 consecutive Provincial Championships. He also coached the Iroquois Nationals U-19 Men’s Lacrosse team at the 2012 World Championships to a Bronze medal in Turku, Finland. Powless recently released his first novel about lacrosse titled “Medicine Game”. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

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Terae Briggs Category Athlete Tribe Crow Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/3/1997 Terae Briggs is from Pryor, Montana, and it is on the Crow Reservation. Her Indian name is Brings Spring Water. She belongs to the Ties in the Bundle Clan and is a Child of the Big Lodge Clan. Her parents are Terry Briggs and Janel Spotted Bear, and her grandparents Max and Dorothy Spotted Bear helped raise her. She has five siblings, Crystal Briggs, Joshua Briggs, Marcus Spotted Bear, Kimberly Briggs, and Terrilyn Briggs. Briggs played varsity basketball for four years and graduated from Plenty Coups High School in 2015 as the Valedictorian and served as student council president. She earned first team All State and fist team All District 6C her senior year. She went on to play college basketball at United Tribes Technical College (2015-2016), where she was voted the first-ever Most Valuable Player as a freshman for the basketball program at the Region XIII Tournament. She helped lead the UTTC team to win the District’s and the Regional Basketball Tournament. It was UTTC’s first appearance in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Basketball Tournament. She averaged 22.4 points per game and 12.1 rebounds per game and earned second team NJCAA DII All American honors. She received a full basketball scholarship to the University of Nevada (2016-2019) where she played three years and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelors in Human Development and Family Studies. While playing at the University of Nevada, she tallied 993 points and 692 rebounds. Her total rebounds ranks seventh for program history, her career field goal percentage of 51.2 ranks fourth, and 279 made free throws ranks sixth all time. As a senior she started all 31 games, averaged 13.9 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game, led the team with 10 double-doubles and was named Mountain West All Conference Honorable Mention. Brigg’s went on to play professionally, as a rookie in Sweden for the club Mark Basket until it was shut down mid-season due to COVID-19. She is now playing in Norway for the club Ulriken Eagles. Basketball has taught her so much about life that she can’t wait to share her knowledge and experience with her niece and whomever from my reservation that wants to follow in her path of using basketball as a tool to get a college education. Her goal is to get more opportunities for basketball players who want to further their game. Photos: The University of Nevada Photography and The Ulriken Eagles Photography Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Michael Thomas Category Official Tribe St. Croix Ojibwe Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/21/1955 Michael Thomas is a Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) basketball official for 27 years, officiating the State Tournament for 11 years with two championship games. He started officiating basketball for all Native American basketball tournaments and quickly worked his way to MSHSL and up to the varsity level. The highlight of his career is officiating for Native youth that make it to the State Tournament. Michael has been involved in many different sports as a player himself, coach or official. Personal highlights include winning the State Championship in boxing and on to Nationals in Reno Nevada. Scoring 67 points in a single basketball game at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Coaching his grandkids and great grandkids in multiple sports, with many championship trophies to prove it. Michael served in the US Army for three years and has done honor guard at Pow Wows as a veteran. He sang on his father’s drum, Minneapolis Ojibwe, with his brothers for many years, he is an avid deer hunter and was a postal carrier for 32 years. Michel is most proud of the family he raised with his wife, Debra who he has been married to for 46 years. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Becki Wells-Staley Category Athlete Tribe Blackfeet and Blood Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 9/9/1974 Becki Wells-Staley established herself as one of the most elite female Native American Athletes in history while running Track and Field and Cross Country. Becki is a 20-time North Dakota State Champion. She graduated from Dickinson High School holding the fastest times in the country for the High School Girls 1600m and 800m in 1993. She was the US Jr. National Champion in the Girls 1500m in ‘93. Wells-Staley went on to represent the US in the Jr. Pan American Game in Winnipeg where she was a silver medalist. Wells-Staley signed with the University of Alabama to run Track and Field and Cross Country. She was the Southeastern XC Conference winner in her first season with the Tide. She was the Jr. National XC Champion in 1994. In 1995 Wells-Staley transferred to the University of Florida. Wells-Staley was the Commissioner Trophy Award winner twice while running for the Florida Gators. The Commissioner’s Trophy goes to the highest point scorer at the SEC Track and Field Championships. She ended her career with the Gators winning the NCAA DI National Title in the Indoor Women’s Mile and the Outdoor Women’s 1500m. She held the school record for over a decade at 4:12.88. She is a 10 X All American in Track and Field and XC. She went on to represent Nike, Reebok and The Native American Sports Council as a professional athlete in Track and Field. Wells-Staley qualified for the 2000 US Olympic Trials in Track and Field in the 800m and 1500m. Becki still holds the North Dakota State record for high school girls at 4:44.44. She was inducted into the Dickinson High School Hall of Fame, the ND State Athletics Hall of Fame and also the University of Florida Hall of Fame for Athletics. Becki currently lives in North Mankato, MN with her husband Maurice Staley who played football for the University of Tennessee (94’-96’). The Staley’s have four boys: Eleazar, Ephraim, Nahshon and Nathan. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Jim Warne Jr Jim Warne Jr Oglala Lakota Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Jim Warne Jr. is a member of the Oglala Lakota. His athletic achievements began as an award-winning All-State Football, Shotput and Powerlifter at Tempe High School in Arizona. These achievements led him to a full-ride football scholarship to Arizona State University where he was voted 1986 All-Pac 10 Tackle by the coaches/media. He was an offensive tackle on Arizona State University’s 1987 Rose Bowl Championship team beating Michigan. Jim was also selected to the Hula Bowl All-Star game and was a National Champion/All American Powerlifter for ASU. In 1987, Jim was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, and after a short NFL career he was drafted by the World League of American Football/NFL Europe in 1991 and played in the Arena Football League in 1992. After professional football, Jim earned his master’s degree at San Diego State University (SDSU). He had a rewarding career fulfilling his desire increasing rehabilitative services within Indian Country at SDSU (1993-2015) developing the Circle for American Indian Rehabilitation and Education. Jim decided to create his own company, Warrior Society Development. He successfully wrote over 60 million dollars in grants creating programs serving tribal members with disabilities including the Oyáte Circle at University of South Dakota as Community Engagement and Diversity Director at Sanford School of Medicine Center for Disabilities. Due to the success of Oyáte Circle, University of Arizona College of Medicine contracted Jim to create the Native Center for Disabilities serving Arizona tribal members addressing public health and disability disparities. During this time Jim initiated his lifelong dream of becoming a successful filmmaker. His first film production, “7th Generation” achieved international awards and is on Amazon Prime. He co-produced, “Oyáte un Itówapi,” a Sports Emmy nominee with FOX Sports. <Back

Maurice “Mo” Smith Category Athlete Tribe Navajo Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 11/20/1962 Maurice “Mo” Smith is the Executive Director for the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (UICSL). Mo is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who grew up in an urban Indian community in Denver, CO. He has been a “friend” to Indian Country for many years, better known for his work and accomplishments while serving as the Executive Director for the Native American Sports Council, a member-organization of the United States Olympic Committee. His passion and inspiration for his work today stems from his identity of a friend to Indian Country, better known for his work with the Native American Sports Council in the area of Sports and Wellness; hosting the largest sports and cultural celebration of North America, the 2006 North American Indigenous Games (7,000+ athletes). Maurice “Mo” Smith is the first documented enrolled tribal member to break the sub-four minute mile with a personal best of 3:55. Mo is from the Navajo Nation and grew up in an urban Indian community in Denver, CO. Mo is a five-time NAIA National Champion in Track & Field (800 & 1,500 Meters) while attending Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Competed in 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Track & Field Trials. Responsible for hosting and administrating the 2006 North American Indigenous Games in Denver, Colorado. Completed five Marathons including the 2021 Boston Marathon in October during Indigenous Peoples Day. Mr. Smith obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Adams State College and a Masters of Arts with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Regis University. Originally from Colorado, Mr. Smith has lived and worked in various parts of the country including New Mexico, Montana, Arizona, Washington, no residing in Washington DC. His past employment experiences include serving as the Executive Director of the American Indian Business Leaders, the Director of Programs and Government Contracts for the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Inc., the Executive Director of the Native American Sports Council, the Program Manager for the United States Olympic Committee and the Development Director of Wings of America. Mountain trail running, play in charity golf tournaments, and spending time with his two children and four grandchildren are a few of his past times. His 1990 Steve Prefontaine Mile winning sub-4:00 minute race is located here: Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Tanner Albers Category Athlete Tribe Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 2/12/1977 - 2/2/2010 Tanner Albers was a team captain for the 1994 and 1995 Boys Basketball Teams at Takini High in South Dakota. In both of those years he was the team’s leading scorer, earning All-State and All-Tournament honors while leading the Skyhawks to back-to-back state tournament appearances. He was also a team captain for the 1997-98 United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) Thunderbirds where he led them to the school’s first Junior College National Tournament appearance. That year he earned 1st Team Mon-Dak All-Region, Mon-Dak Region 8 Player of the Year, and was the school’s first, 1st Team All-American. Tanner is currently still the school’s all-time leading scorer UTTC. Tanner played for the Division I Delaware State University Hornets for the 1998-99 season and finished up his collegiate basketball career at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Up until his passing in 2010, Tanner had traveled across North America, playing in many basketball tournaments with teams Iron 5, Iron Boy, Rim Rats, Pure Method, and many others. He would often receive MVP, All-Star, and others honors because of his amazing scoring and shooting talents. He had the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level and was a co-creator of HOOPGOD Basketball Camps. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Builders 7G Foundation Bennae Calac Denise Waterman Ernie Stevens Jr. Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians Oneida Oneida Oren Lyons Onondaga Sam McCracken Sioux and Assiniboine Wilton Littlechild Cree

Gewas Schindler Category Athlete Tribe Oneida Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 3/28/1976 Gewas Schindler is a Haudenosaunee Oneida Nation citizen and a member of the Turtle Clan. He grew up playing multiple sports under the tutelage of his grandfather, Chief Paul Waterman, on the Onondaga Nation. Gewas played the Creator’s game, this game has world-renowned origins within the Haudenosaunee culture known as Dehontsigwiseh - "bumping hips" is called lacrosse, currently played collegiately, internationally, and at pre-Olympic levels today. Gewas worked for the National Hockey League Phoenix Coyotes and the National Lacrosse League Arizona Sting in marketing, the professional Rochester Nighthawks Lacrosse organization as Governor and he served five years on the National Lacrosse League Board of Governors along with serving on their Marketing Committee, Player Relations Committee, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement Unit. In 2012 Gewas Schindler received the NCAIED (The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development) 40 Under 40 National Business Award, and the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce Award in 2010. Gewas Schindler attended Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, concentrating in Communications and Marketing. As a student-athlete at Loyola, he earned lacrosse accolades earning 3X Division 1 All American Attackman awards. He was a 3X Iroquois Nationals World Team Captain who worked as a professional athlete in the National Lacrosse League and the Major Lacrosse League for eight years. Gewas Schindler competed in seven more World Lacrosse Championships and made eight Iroquois National World Team Rosters. In 2021, as General Manager, the Haudenosaunee U-15 Team won a Gold Medal in the IIJL World Championship, and the Haudenosaunee U-17 Team followed with a Gold Medal. Gewas’ role as an organization builder for youth lacrosse led him to serve as a Lacrosse Ambassador traveling to numerous countries such as Australia, Japan, Thailand, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, England, Mexico, Switzerland, Haudenosaunee, Indigenous Territories, Canada, and the United States to support, advise, and to leave a sport the indigenous people gave to the world community of lacrosse. Gewas’ family includes his wife Tia, and four children, Lawson, Madex, Kohen, and Kimaura. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More