Alaska
WNBA’s Alissa Pili and Olympic medalist Kerry Weiland highlight Alaska High School Hall of Fame Class of 2025 – Anchorage Daily News
The Alaska School Activities Association announced the Class of 2025 of the Alaska High School Hall of Fame on Friday. Among the dozen individuals who will be inducted are former Dimond multisport star and current professional athlete Alissa Pili and Palmer women’s hockey trailblazer Kerry Weiland.
The ceremony honoring the class is at 2 p.m. April 27 at the Special Olympics Alaska Jim Balamaci Training Center in Anchorage.
The Hall was established to recognize and permanently honor individuals who displayed “high ethical standards and integrity while achieving excellence in high school athletics and activities,” according to ASAA. It also recognizes those who have made “exemplary contributions” to the prep sports and activities landscape on the Last Frontier.
Categories include students who participated in athletics, academic activities and fine arts, as well as contributors who served as coaches, advisers, directors, administrators, officials and adjudicators. Any former student must have graduated at least five years ago to be eligible for induction. This year’s class marks the 20th in the hall’s history and features 10 athletes and two activities teachers/coaches.
Athlete inductees
Pili racked up a staggering 13 state championships during her time in high school, including leading the Lynx volleyball team to four straight titles in volleyball and the basketball team to a pair of state titles. As an individual, she won four state titles in shot put, two in discus and another in wrestling. The 2019 graduate went on to have a stellar collegiate career in basketball, including being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year at USC and later Pac-12 Player of the Year at the University of Utah. She now plays professionally in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx after being drafted No. 8 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
[Playing at a new level, Anchorage’s Alissa Pili finds her footing and connects with fans]
Weiland was not only a trailblazer for women’s hockey during her time at Palmer High School, she starred in the sport. She made history as one of the first girls in Alaska’s history to compete on a boys varsity hockey team, and earned First Team All-Region honors. She parlayed her standout prep career into a full-ride scholarship at the University of Wisconsin, where she earned All-American First Team honors in 2002. Weiland competed professionally both domestically and internationally, winning an International Inline Roller Hockey Championships and helping Team USA bring home a silver medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
“Kerry was always respectful and quiet, but on the ice, she wasn’t afraid of anything,” childhood friend and fellow Alaska sports legend Scotty Gomez said in a statement. “She was the real deal.”
Freddy Hamilton III helped make Craig High School a powerhouse basketball program during his four years. From 2001-2003, he spearheaded Panthers teams that dominated the Region V 3A level, finishing as state runner-ups in 2002 and state champions in 2003. Hamilton was named to the Region V 3A All-Tournament Team for three straight years and the State All-Tournament Team as a junior and senior.
“Freddy was one of your first two-way players, an exceptional point guard/forward who made it very difficult for the opposing team to guard him,” former Craig assistant coach James Mackie said in a statement.
AJ Hull was a multisport star at Kenai Central High School and led Kardinals teams to three state championships, two in football and one in baseball. The 2012 graduate’s list of individual accolades includes being named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011, Offensive Player of the Year and State Outstanding Player in football where he was also a three-time First Team All-State quarterback and two-time All-State at defensive back. As a senior in basketball, he was named First Team All-Region and Second Team All-State, and then on the baseball field, he led the 2012 American Legion state championship team and was named tournament MVP. That year he also received the Big Stick Award and was named Northern Lights Player of the Year and First Team All-State.
Rachel Johnson was a three-sport standout at Nikiski High School, where her list of accomplishments included receiving multiple First-Team All-State honors in volleyball and basketball and shining as a goalkeeper in soccer. She continued to shine on the pitch in college at Highline College, where she set a school record with an 11-game shutout streak, and then at Washington State University, where she helped lead the Cougars to big wins against nationally ranked opponents.
“Rachel’s leadership stands out as a primary reason for our fond memories,” her former coach Scott Anderson said in a statement. “She made us a team, not just a group of individuals.”
Luke Johnson was a four-sport star at Nikiski High School, where he produced three straight undefeated seasons in wrestling and capped off each with a state title. He finished as the state runner-up to his older brother as a freshman. On the football field he helped lead the Bulldogs to four straight state title appearances from 2012-2015, winning it all in 2013 and finishing runner-up in the other three. As a senior in track and field, he won at state and set a new school record in the shot put and came in second at state in discus for the second year in a row.
“Luke’s leadership on the field was unparalleled; he always led from the front,” his coach Jake Doth said in a statement.
Tobin Karlberg was one of the best basketball players of his generation, and his long list of accolades includes leading the Grace Christian boys team to three straight state championship game appearances and a title in 2017. That was the same year he was named 3A State Player of the Year, for the second year in a row, and the Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year. After high school, he kept his talents close to home and starred at the University of Alaska Anchorage before finishing his career at Point Loma University. He now serves as an assistant coach on the staff for the University of Alaska Fairbanks men’s basketball team.
“Tobin was a floor general who made everyone around him better,” Grace Christian coach Jason Boerger said in a statement. “His assists reflect his unselfishness and team-first mentality. He valued team success over individual accolades, and that’s what made him stand out.”
Justin Schwartzbauer was a multisport star at Colony High School who won a quartet of state titles as a hurdler in track and field, including thee in the 300-meter and one in the 110-meter. In football, he earned First-Team All-State honors at both wide receiver and defensive back and led the Knights to a pair of state semifinal appearances in 2004 and 2005. On the basketball court, he received First-Team All-State honors and led his team to the regional championship as well as a state runner-up finish in 2004. After high school, he played college football at Weber State, where he helped the Wildcats win a Big Sky Conference championship.
“His relentless work ethic and focus distinguish him as a Hall of Fame athlete,” former coach Randy Magner said.
Nathan Schwartzbauer was a four-sport standout at Colony whose list of accomplishments includes earning All-Conference and All-State honors in football, winning back-to-back state titles in track and field in the high jump and helping lead the hockey team to back-to-back state championships as well.
“Nathan is one of the best athletes I’ve ever had the honor to coach,” his hockey coach Eric Troisi said in a statement. “His athletic ability, combined with his work ethic, helped make Colony High School one of the best hockey teams in the state.”
Pauline Tufi was a five-sport star at West Anchorage High School, where she shined especially bright in softball, earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors for three straight years from 2011-2013. She also starred in hockey, volleyball, basketball and track and field before taking her talent to Louisiana Tech University to continue playing softball.
“Pauline was not just an athlete; she was a game-changer. She brought leadership and determination to every team she joined,” West girls basketball coach Stanley Engel said in a statement. “Her impact extended beyond her athleticism — her heart, leadership, and work ethic made her a true pillar in our community.”
Contributor inductees
Stan Harris was a stalwart teacher, mentor and leader in music education at Palmer High School whose contributions included music programs ranging from jazz bands, choirs and musical theater productions that consistently received top honors and statewide acclaim.
“Stan’s ability to teach both band and choir at the highest levels is unmatched,” former Wasilla music teacher Sara Guhl said in a statement. “His kindness, flexibility, and guidance for students is unparalleled.”
Nathan Vereide’s contributions in the activity of Drama, Debate, and Forensics (DDF) were legendary. He served as a coach at Whitestone School from 1997 to 2015. His teams amassed 31 overall school sweepstakes titles in the 1A/2A/3A categories, including just one of two ever undefeated debate seasons in 2011.
“Nathan’s leadership on the team was unmatched,” fellow coach Shawn Brisco said in statement. “His dedication to both the success of his students and to improving the activity itself made him a key figure in the growth of DDF in Alaska.”
[Correction: This story has been updated to correct the year associated with the class to be inducted in the Alaska High School Hall of Fame.]
(Bethel, AK) –Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a favorable opinion for the State of Alaska in ConocoPhillips Alaska v. Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), agreeing that State laws requiring disclosure of oil well data are not preempted by federal law.
“Alaska relies heavily on our resources and resource development,” said Acting Alaska Attorney General Cori Mills. “We are also stewards of those resources for the citizens of Alaska. Alaska’s law both allows resource development now, and encourages further development and exploration in the future. We’re pleased that the Ninth Circuit recognized that federal law has not overridden Alaska’s balanced approach.”
The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regulates oil and gas operations throughout Alaska, including within the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR–A). Under Alaska law, companies need permits from the AOGCC to drill and must submit well data. The AOGCC is required to keep well data confidential for 24 months.
ConocoPhillips drilled several wells on lease holdings within the NPR–A and submitted data to the AOGCC. When the 24-month period expired, the AOGCC notified ConocoPhillips of the upcoming well data disclosure. ConocoPhillips sued in federal court to stop the disclosure process claiming that the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, the federal law allowing private exploration in the NPR–A, preempted Alaska’s 24-month disclosure law. The federal district court found Alaska law preempted, and the AOGCC sought appellate review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
On appeal, the Ninth Circuit agreed with the AOGCC. The federal Production Act does not preempt state law. The Ninth Circuit therefore reversed the district court’s holding to the contrary.
“The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is pleased with the court’s decision upholding Alaska law,” said AOGCC Commissioner Jessie Chmielowski in a declaration filed in the litigation court. “Alaska’s balanced approach to well data confidentiality leads to increased exploration activity, not less. Alaska law allows for a two-year confidentiality period on exploration well data to leverage a company’s investment in drilling. Thereafter, making the data public has incentivized exploration on the North Slope. Placing well data in the public record allows competing companies to evaluate different exploration concepts or interpretations based on seismic data that, without well data, are just educated guesses.”
# # #
Alaska needs change. That’s why I’m running for governor: to bring new energy and a new generation of leadership to the governor’s office.
For 13 years in a row, more Alaskans have left our great state than have moved here. Prices are rising, schools are closing and Alaskans are getting left behind.
This year, those planning to leave Alaska include Ben and Catherine Walker, both recipients of Alaska’s Teacher of the Year Award. They can’t justify staying in the place they grew up in and love because of our failure to invest in the fundamentals, such as our schools.
The problem is personal. I’m 37. Many of those leaving Alaska are my age — debating whether there’s a future for us here or not. It’s a challenge we must solve.
I love challenges.
Back in 2012, I dropped out of college to challenge an entrenched Republican incumbent legislator who was running unopposed to represent my home region of Southeast Alaska. I launched a scrappy, grassroots campaign and focused on the kitchen table issues that matter to every Alaskan: good schools, getting our fair share of oil revenues, lowering costs, protecting our fisheries. I won — by 32 votes.
When I was sworn in, I was baby-faced and bushy-tailed, just 23 years old. It was the beginning of a decade-long tenure in the Legislature. A lot happened in those 10 years.
Among the most important: We formed the House Bipartisan Coalition in 2016. While I have a “D” next to my name, I believe strongly in working across party lines. That’s what the Bipartisan Coalition was, and is, all about: Democrats, moderate Republicans and independents, all working together to do what’s best for Alaska.
I want to bring that same bipartisan, vigorous problem-solving spirit to the governor’s office, where it has been nonexistent the last eight years.
As governor, I want to work hand in hand with the Legislature to deliver some desperately needed wins for Alaska that will make our lives better and get our state back on track:
• Reinvest in our public schools. Our school districts are in battlefield triage mode, but instead of amputating limbs, our school boards are forced to choose which sports to cut, which electives to discontinue and which neighborhood school to close. Enough already. Get school funding back up to par.
• Forward fund our schools. Our school districts shouldn’t have to guess how much education funding will end up being appropriated in end-of-session legislative haggling.
This circus forces school districts to prospectively fire teachers, then rehire them a month or two later, when they find out the final education funding number. It’s awful for all involved. We should fix it by forward funding.
• Close the Hilcorp corporate income tax loophole. Hilcorp should pay their fair share in taxes just as ConocoPhillips, and nearly every other major corporation in Alaska, already does.
• Lower the cost of energy. Chugach Electric Association, Golden Valley Electric Association, Homer Electric Association and Matanuska Electric Association operate about 1,700 megawatts in power generation capacity. Peak Railbelt winter demand is half that: about 850 megawatts. Guess who pays for the nearly gigawatt in underused and unused power plants? You, on your power bill. The governor should force the co-ops to work together, reduce redundancies and diversify energy sources, including renewables, in order to reduce the sky-high cost of energy for Alaskans.
• Lower the cost of childcare. Alaska has inadvertently created a system of childcare permitting and licensing that effectively amounts to death by a thousand pieces of paperwork. It’s creating scarcity and cost. We need to fix it.
• Lower the cost of housing. Cut red tape to make it easier and cheaper to build more homes of all kinds — from tiny homes and ADUs to manufactured and modular housing, to apartments and condos, to traditional single-family homes. More housing of all kinds, faster.
• Rein in bottom-trawl bycatch. I will nominate Alaskans to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council who will make sure that Alaska and Alaskans — not Seattle and Lower 48 industry interests — foremost benefit from our fisheries.
• Responsibly develop our resources. Support projects that have regional buy-in and support, such as Pikka on the North Slope, which just produced first oil this month, while saying “no” when the risks are too great and those in the region are opposed, as is the case with Pebble.
• Grow our tourism economy. And let’s crack the code on winter tourism while we’re at it. If Iceland can do it, we darn well can, too. Fairbanks is having burgeoning winter tourism success. Let’s follow their great lead.
• Make Alaska an awesome place to live. Let’s build dozens more public-use cabins. Let’s build an alpine hut-to-hut system like they have in New Zealand and the Alps. Let’s build the Alaska Long Trail. Let’s make Anchorage a world-class winter city.
Does this sound like the kind of Alaska you want to live in? Then I have great news: We are the governor campaign for you. And if what you just read gives you indigestion, you’ll be relieved to know you have 17 other options.
I have more great news: I can win.
After beating an entrenched Republican incumbent, I spent a decade representing a swingy district that voted for Donald Trump.
In those 10 years, I recorded some of the highest margins of crossover support from Trump voters of any Democrat in Alaska. I ran 12% ahead of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and 15% ahead of Joe Biden in 2020.
Here’s the simple truth: Whoever becomes our next governor will need to win with the support of significant numbers of independents and moderate Republicans, in addition to Democrats. I’ve done that. And I’ll do it again. Will you join me?
Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins of Sitka is a candidate for governor of Alaska.
• • •
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May 28, 2026
3 min
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