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295 items found for ""
- Danny McCourt
Officials Gary Hull Inupiaq Danny McCourt Algonquin/Iroquois Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Michael Thomas St. Croix Ojibwe
- Cheri Madsen, Omaha
< Back Cheri Madsen Cheri Madsen Omaha Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Cheri Madsen was born in Omaha, Nebraska and her hometown is Nebraska City, Nebraska. Madsen represented the United States as a four-time Paralympian (1996, 2000, 2016, and 2020) and ten-time Paralympic medalist (2 golds, 5 silvers, and 3 bronzes). She participated in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games earning silver (400-meter) and bronze (100-meter) places; the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Rio 2016, earning silver (400-meter) and fifth (100-meter) places; the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games earning gold (100-meter, 400-meter), silver (200-meter), and fourth (800-meter) places; the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games earning silver (100-meter, 200-meter) and bronze (400-meter, 800-meter) places; and the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games earning bronze (800-meter exhibition race) place. Madsen’s World Championship experience includes in 2019 bronze (100-meter) and fifth (400-meter) places. She participated in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. She earned seven medals including three silver and four bronze: Silver – 2017 (100-meter, 200-meter); 2015 (200-meter) Bronze – 2019 (100m), 2017 (400m), 2013 (200m, 400m) Bronze – 2019 (100-meter); 2017 (400-meter); 2013 (200-meter, 400-meter) Personal: Daughter of Mario and Mary Becerra...Mother to Reese and Malayna Madsen...Married Eric Madsen on June 2, 2001...Was left paralyzed by an unknown virus at age three...Began wheelchair racing in 1994 and qualified for her first Paralympic Games just two years later in Atlanta...First Native American female to win an Olympic exhibition bronze medal...Her 1996 Olympic and Paralympic pursuits were chronicled in a Nebraska Educational Television documentary entitled “The Cheri Becerra Story: God Made Her for This Sport”...Left racing for 13 years, returning to competition for the 2013 world championships in memory of her younger brother, Mario III, and their father, Mario Jr., who were killed in a car-train crash in 2007...Hobbies include scrapbooking, reading and watching her daughters compete in sports. <Back
- Levi Horn, Northern Cheyenne
< Back Levi Horn Levi Horn Northern Cheyenne Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Levi Horn is an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne and resides in Lame Deer, Montana. Horn attributes his work ethic to his mother Julia Horn that raised three children on her own. Childhood was hard as poverty and the past trauma of Native people were very noticeable around Levi. The on thing that kept Levi looking forward was the chance to play football. Horn remembers telling all of his friends when he was six years old that he would play in the NFL. Having this dream pushed him to commit to school in high school and stay out of trouble. In high school he earned all-conference and all-state honors in Washington at the tight-end position for a struggling school. This is were he caught the attention of local universities and committed to the University of Oregon. Horn redshirted at Oregon and transferred at the end of the year and admits that he wasn’t ready. Horn transferred to the University of Montana. Horn recalls seeing other Native Americans on campus and professors that helped his confidence on the academic side. His first year at Montana he saw substantial playing time due to injuries on the team and he knew that he could play at this level. Horn then started his junior year at left tackle and he was named All Big Sky Conference. In 2009, he was named Third Team All American Associated Press and The Sports Network, First Team All-American AFCA and received the University of Montana Paul Weskamp Award. Horn then signed his Undrafted Free Agent contract with the Chicago Bears on draft day. His first year he made the practice squad and the Bears went to the NFC Championship game. His second year Horn made the 53 man roster under offensive line coach Mike Tice. In 2011, he was honored as a member of the Top 40 under 40 with the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. Horn now works and coaches at his alma mater and visits reservations to speak about the importance of having a dream <Back
- Wade McGee, Cherokee
< Back Wade McGee Wade McGee Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Wade McGee is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. His athletic career began in high school as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. He excelled in baseball and football receiving All-Conference, All-Region and All-State honors. McGee rushed for 2400 yards his senior year with 28 touchdowns earning offensive player of the year award and was highly recruited his senior season in football and baseball. McGee chose to attend Oklahoma State University his first year of college and due to injury, he returned home to work. After two and half years out, he decided to return to school and attend Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas where he joined the football team and started at running back and special team’s returner. McGee earned All-Conference and All-Region honors his freshman year and All-Conference, All Region and All-American his sophomore year. He was ranked in the top five in the NJCAA in rushing, total offense, and touchdowns. McGee also became a record holder at Haskell that still stands today: 267 total offensive yards in a game; 242 rushing yards in a game; 1284 rushing yards in a season; 2417 career yards; four touchdowns in a game; and 18 rushing touchdowns season. McGee averaged 9.4 yards every time he touched the football at Haskell. He was awarded Most Valuable Player for Haskell football in 1992. After several injuries McGee decided to move on from football and on to helping indigenous people across North America. McGee made a national impact in Indian Country by working with fellow NAIAHF member Jim Warne’s Warrior Society Development teaching native youth across the nation. He’s also National Director of Native programs for Bigger Faster Stronger promoting athletic development in Indian country. McGee has coached youth and high school football for over 27 years. McGee’s latest impact is working with the Native Wellness Institute and providing trauma informed training, healing, intergenerational trauma, strategic healing, gathering of Native Americans and other trainings to youth and adults across the nation. McGee continues to make a positive difference for indigenous youth as a coach and mentor and Wade’s son Jerry is also a 2024 NAIAHF inductee. <Back
- Jana Williams, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
< Back Jana Williams Jana Williams Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Jana Williams got her start in tennis the summer before seventh grade. Her older sister wanted tennis lessons, and Jana golf lessons; so they agreed to take them together. After playing in her first tournament, the captain from the high school team convinced her to try out for the varsity team as a seventh grader, playing #4 singles and 8-12th #1. She was in the top 5 in the Northwest section throughout her junior career, qualifying for Jr. Nationals and then in her sophomore year was awarded a scholarship to Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Bradenton, FL. After high school she got pregnant with twins. When they were six months old she returned to school at North Hennepin Community College and played on the tennis team for two years, going undefeated both years and qualified for the NJCAA National tournament. The first year she made it to the semifinals before losing, the following year the quarterfinals. After both years she was offered scholarships to play tennis, but instead of moving away from family, she decided to walk on to the University of Minnesota’s tennis team during the 1993-1994 season. Jana became involved with the organization called the North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA). She was the Jr. Singles champion in 1987, and Open Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles champion and Runner-up in many NAITA Tournaments. She was a past President in 2016. She also directed tennis clinics at UNITY Conference in Oklahoma City and Washington DC along with Riverside Indian Boarding School, Anadarko OK. It was Jana’s goal to bring tennis to the Native communities across the country and brought the NAITA’s tournament to Minnesota in 2016. She now actively competes in Women's NPC Bodybuilding and teaches anyone who wants to learn a healthy lifestyle how to work out and improve their overall health. Her awards included the 2017 NPC FIGURE Master's 35+ 1st place and Overall Champion, the IRON VIKING, Battle of The Falls Overall Champion and the 2019 Master’s Nationals and NPC Women's Open Physique Brew City and Minnesota State 3rd and 4th places. <Back
- Ryneldi Becenti, Navajo
< Back Ryneldi Becenti Ryneldi Becenti Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Ryneldi Becenti is Navajo from the Navajo Reservation. She has been playing basketball since she was five years old. She always had the passion, love, determination and commitment to be the best. She played collegiate and professional basketball and is retired now to continue to give back to the youth. Becenti played basketball at Window Rock High School (AZ) and Scottsdale Community College (AZ) where she was a two-time NJCAA All American. She was a two-time first team All Pac 10 and honorable mention All American at Arizona State University before she turned pro after two seasons. In 1983 she played in Sweden and also played in Greece and Turkey. In 1997 she played for the Phoenix Mercury and also was drafted with the Chicago Condor in 1998. Becenti was also a bronze medalist at the 1983 World University Games. Her induction into the NAIAHF follows five other Hall of Fames she is in including the American Indian Athletic HOF (1996), Arizona State HOF (2004), Arizona High School HOF (2009), Scottsdale Community College HOF (2011), and National Native American HOF (2022). Her Arizona State University #21 was retired on 12-21-2013. <Back
- Sydney Daniels, Mistawasis Nêhiyawak
< Back Sydney Daniels Sydney Daniels Mistawasis Nêhiyawak Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Sydney Daniels is a proud member of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation on Treaty 6 Territory. Daniels completed a four-year NCAA Division 1 ice hockey career at Harvard University where she obtained many accolades including ECAC Hockey All-Academic selection, Multiple ECAC Player of the Month, All-ECAC Hockey Team, All-Ivy League Team. Most importantly, Sydney was selected to captain the team her senior year. Daniels has also participated in multiple tournaments as a member of Team USA bringing home both a silver and gold medal in the IIHF World Championships at both the U-18 and U-22 levels. After her collegiate career, Daniels was drafted third overall in the NWHL to the New York Riveters. She played her first professional ice hockey season with the Boston Pride of NWHL. Daniels spent four seasons as an NCAA Division 1 Assistant Coach for Harvard University from 2018-2022. As a coach, she helped the team in winning the Ivy League, the ECAC regular season, and the Beanpot Championship. Most recently, Daniels was hired by the Winnipeg Jets as a member of the NHL scouting staff, with a specific focus on recruiting within the NCAA. She is the first female from Treaty 6 Territory to be an operations staff member of an NHL team. Daniels is passionate about finding ways to use her experiences to uplift Indigenous Youth. For the past six years, Daniels and her father, Scott Daniels, also a 2024 NAIAHF inductee and former NHL player, run the Daniels Hockey School, a multi-day youth hockey camp for Indigenous youth. Daniels Hockey focuses on creating safe and inclusive spaces for Indigenous Youth to feel safe, have fun, and develop their hockey skills. She hopes to continue to find ways to support and empower Indigenous youth to chase their dreams. <Back