Prince Amukamara, one of the top high school athletes ever to come through Arizona, was honored on Monday, June 30, with his induction into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame.
The ceremony took place at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. He was among 11 inductees by the National Federation of High Schools.
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Amukamara starred in football, basketball and track and field at Glendale Apollo from 2004-07, before starring at cornerback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was a first-round NFL draft pick of the New York Giants in 2011.
A two-way star at Apollo, he was named The Arizona Republic’s high school football Player of the Year in 2006, when he ran for 2,106 yards and 24 TDs as a senior. In a state playoff game against Scottsdale Chaparral, he clinched his POY honor with 366 yards and four TDs rushing, to go with four catches and a 45-yard punt return.
He ran for 3,820 yards and 58 TDs on 335 carries (11.4 yards a carry) in his Apollo football career.
He also led the Hawks to three consecutive state basketball championships as the lead guard, shooting 63% and averaging three steals per game during his career. He was the state champion in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes in track and field. He finished state runner-up in the long jump.
Former Apollo High great Prince Amukamara was among 11 people inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame in Chicago on June 30, 2025. Former AIA executive director David Hines (right) introduced Amukamara at the ceremony.
Amukamara was an All-American at Nebraska and earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year during his college career before the Giants took him in the first round. A year later, he was part of the Giants’ 2012 Super Bowl-winning team (which capped the 2011 season). He had an 11-year NFL career with six different teams, finishing with 417 tackles and 10 interceptions.
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David Hines, recently retired executive director of the Arizona Interscholastic Association, introduced Amukamara on the stage for the NFHS Hall of Fame ceremony.
Amukamara, 36, had his youth and high school coaches, along with other mentors, at the ceremony. He thanked all of them during a news conference for helping him develop during his journey into adulthood.
Mark Nold, who coached Apollo’s basketball team during that dynasty run, was on hand.
“He taught us a lot about life lessons,” Amukamara said during the news conference. “Words like integrity, adversity, overcoming. He was always about team.
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“I remember one time, the state championship game was that day, a player came in with what I thought was a cool haircut at the time. But that player was making it about himself. He had him shave it off. That’s how committed to team he was.”
Amukamara also thanked his mother and father, who came to the United States from Nigeria to give their family a better life.
“They took a chance in coming to this country, wanting this life to be better for us, with six kids,” Amukamara said.
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Prince Amukamara inducted into National HS HOF