The Haudenosaunee Nationals Men's Lacrosse Team, formerly known as the Iroquois Nationals, represents the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in international field lacrosse competition. They are currently ranked third in the world by World Lacrosse after winning Bronze at the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship.

In June 2022, the Nationals dropped Iroquois from their name, adopting the name the Haudenosaunee Nationals.

The Haudenosaunee are currently seeking to compete in the 2028 Olympics under their own flag, and have received support from both the Canadian and United States governments to do so.

History

Background

Lacrosse was originally played as part of a spiritual endeavour meant to praise and give thanks to the Creator, a tradition still followed today by the Haudenosaunee Nationals. For example, before each game the Haudenosaunee Nationals gather around their spiritual advisor who leads a traditional tobacco-burning rite, in addition to other rituals in an effort to prepare players before they take the field. The traditions attached to lacrosse extend to the wooden sticks, central to the Iroquois religion and culture. Specifically, males are given a miniature wooden lacrosse stick at birth, sleep with their stick nearby throughout their life, and even take one to the grave. It is believed that the first thing a Haudenosaunee does after reaching the afterlife is grab the stick placed in his coffin. The importance given to these wooden lacrosse sticks stem from the belief that these are gifts from Mother Earth. The Haudenosaunee believe that, because a living organism (i.e. a tree) died to make the stick, its spirit has been transferred to the stick's owner. Therefore, the Haudenosaunee play humbly in an attempt to honour the tree's sacrifice.

Modern team The Iroquois Nationals men's lacrosse team was formed and sanctioned by the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee in 1983 in preparation of friendlies at the NCAA championship in Baltimore, Maryland. The Nationals lost to the Syracuse Orangemen 28-5 and the Hobart Statesmen 22–14. Prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics, the Nationals held the Jim Thorpe Memorial Games and Pow-Wow, a 6-team event with local and international teams in Los Angeles. The nationals achieved their first victory over the national team of England. The following year, using their Haudenosaunee passports, the Nationals traveled and toured England losing only once.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals team is the only First Nation's team with international recognition as a sovereign people. After being denied membership by the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) to compete in the 1986 World Lacrosse Championship in Canada, the Iroquois hosted the teams for preliminary games at the University at Buffalo. The ILF accepted the Iroquois as a full member nation in 1988.

The Iroquois Nationals took part in their first international competition at the 1990 World Lacrosse Championship in Australia, finishing fifth out of five teams. They warmed up for the world championship by competing in the Lacrosse USA tournament in Syracuse against top men's club teams.

In 2002, the Iroquois Nationals were recognized with an Honoring Nations award for demonstrating nation building through traditional sports. The Honoring Nations award program is administered by the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development.

Nike deal Historically, the Iroquois Nationals operated on a very small budget while simultaneously trying not to accept any financial resources from the Canadian and American governments in an attempt to assert their sovereignty through financial independence.

In 2006, the Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse Program signed a partnership with Nike, Inc. in which Nike will provide the Nationals with their brand uniforms, clothing, footwear, and other equipment. The company is to develop programs to "promote wellness-and-fitness activities in Native American communities throughout the region", and team members may go to speak to local groups. Team members will also assist in testing of sustainable produced sportswear for Nike's research and development of processes to use non-toxic dyes and biodegradable organic cotton.

Nike is the only Fortune 500 company to have such a relationship with a First Nations organization, and the Iroquois Nationals are the only such group. This partnership extends beyond simply providing equipment and apparel and includes programs to promote wellness and fitness among Native American communities. This focus on the promotion of physical activity among Native Americans is part of Nike's Native American Business Program; they have worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service to establish and manage physical activity programs among Native American communities. These programs are particularly important given the disproportionately high rates of obesity and diabetes among Indigenous communities.

Passport issues The Haudenosaunee Confederacy began issuing their own passports in 1927 and its holders were able to travel without problem for many years. However, with stricter security measures following the 9/11 terrorist attack, the European Union member states no longer recognized these passports as legal travel documents. While holders of these passports were still able to enter Canada, neither the United States nor Canada recognized the passports as valid travel documents.

These passports became an issue when the Iroquois Nationals attempted to enter England for the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship held in Manchester. The Nationals were unable to attend and compete in the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship in England as the United Kingdom did not accept their Iroquois passports. The Nationals’ players were told by British officials to obtain either U.S. or Canadian passports if they wished to enter the country, as the team's 23 players were eligible to be issued passports from these countries. The Iroquois Nationals refused to travel with Canadian or American passports, arguing that this would be a strike against their identity. As a result, the Nationals were forced to forfeit their three preliminary games. In 2018, the Iroquois Nationals’ travel arrangements to Israel for the World Lacrosse Championship were delayed due to passport issues once again. However, after the intervention of the Federation of International Lacrosse and the local organizing committee, the Israeli and Canadian governments were able to resolve the issue and lift the travel restrictions. As a result, the Iroquois Nationals arrived just before the opening ceremonies and their first game.

2028 Summer Olympics In October 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially added lacrosse to the 2028 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, California. Whether the Haudenosaunee Nationals—a team not representing a member nation in the IOC—would be allowed to compete as a team in the Olympics remains a point of contention. The team has received support from both U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough, but the IOC has stated that only countries with a National Olympic Committee (NOC) would be allowed to compete, and that it would be up to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to allow Haudenosaunee players to play in their respective teams.

On January 17, 2025, U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a joint statement from the White House calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow the Haudenosaunee to compete in lacrosse at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games as their own team under their own flag. They stated

While we respect the IOC’s independence, we encourage the IOC to take advantage of this historic opportunity. Permitting the Haudenosaunee to compete in lacrosse – the sport they invented – would advance the highest values of the Olympic Games and send a powerful message about respecting and valuing indigenous cultural heritage.

Haudenosaunee players are eligible to play for either Canada or the United States depending on residence. However, most Haudenosaunee players maintain that they would only play for an Indigenous team. Tom Perez, senior advisor to President Biden stated that they are "hopeful the IOC will see it our way". President Biden stated

"Their ancestors invented the game. They perfected it for a millennium... Their circumstances are unique and they should be granted an exception to field their own team at the Olympics."

Perez also stated that the U.S. is working with Canada to support inclusion in the 2028 Olympics.

Awards

Event Member Award 2002 WLC Neal Powless All World Team 2006 WLC Brent Bucktooth All World Team - Midfield 2014 WLC Lyle Thompson All World Team - Attack Jeremy Thompson All World Team - Midfield 2018 WLC Austin Staats All World Team - Midfield2023 WLCAustin StaatsBest AttackmanAll World Team - AttackJacob PisenoBest DefensemanAll World Team - Defenseman

World Lacrosse Championship

Overall results + World Lacrosse ChampionshipYearHostFinish1990Australia40444825th 1994England62468875th 1998United States725561154th 2002Australia725551004th2006Canada8441251074th 2010England30303 - 2014United States8539675 2018Israel 8 5 3 94 84 2023United States 8 5 3 83 54Total5925346217073 Bronze Medals

1990

1994

1998

1998 World Lacrosse Championship roster Jersey Name Position Age Height Weight Team 1 Chris Hopps Goal 27 6–0 165 Potsdam 2 Pat Solomon Goal 20 6–0 175 Hobart 3 J.D. Jones Mid 19 6–1 185 Mercyhurst 5 Cory Bomberry Mid 22 5–11 195 Rochester Knighthawks 7 Owen Benedict Mid 27 6–2 175 Long Island / Syracuse Smash 9 Dan Burnam Attack 28 5–9 200 Nazareth 11 Scott Burnam Mid 29 5–10 180 Cornell 12 Mike Benedict Mid 27 5–9 170 North County CC / Syracuse Smash 13 Chip George Def 32 6–1 185 Potsdam 14 Jim Barnes Mid 20 5–9 175 Herkimer 15 Rex Lyons Attack 36 5–11 190 Syracuse 16 Neal Powless Attack 23 5–10 190 Nazareth 17 Tony Gray Mid 26 6–2 180 Hobart 18 Tim Solomon Mid 24 5–11 190 Hobart 19 Cam Bomberry Attack 28 5–9 200 Nazareth / Rochester Knighthawks 20 Evan Thompson Mid 20 5–10 175 Hobart 21 Bill Solomon Attack 29 5–9 175 Canton 22 Al Jones Mid 22 6–0 200 Herkimer 23 Mark Burnam Def 34 5–10 210 Syracuse / Syracuse Smash 24 Cal Smith Def 18 5–11 165 Wesley 29 Vince Schiffert Def 32 5–9 160 30 Matt Alexander Mid 22 5–10 170 Syracuse 33 Jim Bissell Def 34 6–0 208 42 Gewas Schindler Attack 22 5–11 175 Loyola 43 Marshall Abrams Def 20 6–0 175 Syracuse 44 Joe Solomon Goal 30 5–11 260 Cornell Ron Doctor Coach Dave Pittard Coach Reggie Thorpe Coach

2002

2006

2010

2014