UNK announces eight finalists for 2024 homecoming royalty
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KEARNEY – Eight finalists for University of Nebraska at Kearney homecoming royalty were announced Monday during a pep rally on campus.
Queen candidates are Courtney Cox of Alliance, Olivia Lawless of Aurora, Sydney Owen of Kearney and Lily Seibert of Kearney. King candidates are Lance Haberman of Utica, Joey Orellana of Cozad, Shawn Peterson of Sint Maarten and Caleb Wiseman of Plattsmouth.
UNK’s homecoming king and queen will be crowned Thursday night following the lip-sync competition, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Health and Sports Center. They will also be recognized during the homecoming parade scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Kearney and the home football game set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Cope Stadium.
The lip-sync competition and royalty crowning will be livestreamed at unk.edu/watch.
Homecoming royalty are selected by two rounds of student voting, with the final round occurring this week.
Queen candidates, and the organizations they represent, are:
Courtney Cox, Future Business Leaders of America
Cox is a senior studying business administration with emphases in finance and accounting. She’s been involved on campus as a resident assistant, Chancellor’s Ambassador, New Student Enrollment leader and Honors Program member. Cox also competes with the Future Business Leaders of America chapter and plays the flute in the UNK Wind Ensemble.
Olivia Lawless, Alpha Phi
Lawless is a senior studying business administration with a finance emphasis and a minor in marketing and management. She’s involved in UNK Student Government, the Honors Program and the Order of Omega, Mortar Board and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies. Lawless serves as president of the Future Business Leaders of America chapter and vice president of finance and housing for the Alpha Phi sorority. She recently received the Emerging Young Professional Award from the Kearney Young Professionals Network and Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce.
Sydney Owen, Honors Program
Owen is a senior studying business administration with an accounting emphasis. She serves as vice president of marketing for the Honors Student Advisory Board and as a mentor and mentor leader in the Honors Program. She’s the chapter historian for the Mortar Board honor society and a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi honor societies. Owen has also been involved in Loper Programming and Activities Council and campus intramurals. She volunteers with Special Olympics Nebraska.
Lily Seibert, Gamma Phi Beta
Seibert is a junior studying communication disorders with a special education minor. She serves as administrative vice president for the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, vice president of external recruitment on the Panhellenic Council and vice president of the Kearney Student Speech Language and Hearing Association. Seibert is also involved in Chancellor’s Ambassadors, the Honors Program, Order of Omega honor society and UNK Student Government. She was recently honored as Gamma Phi Beta’s outstanding member of the semester.
King candidates, and the organizations they represent, are:
Lance Haberman, Delta Tau Delta
Haberman is a junior studying exercise science (pre-physical therapy) with a health science minor. He serves as vice president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and is active in the Exercise Science Club and campus intramurals. Haberman also participates in undergraduate research. He received UNK’s Transcending Leader Award last spring.
Joey Orellana, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Orellana is a senior studying recreation management with a sports management minor. He’s active on campus as a Chancellor’s Ambassador, Thompson Scholars Learning Community mentor and member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Orellana serves as secretary of the treasury for UNK Student Government and student coordinator for the new Regional Engagement Center.
Shawn Peterson, Pi Kappa Alpha
Peterson is a senior studying health science with a public health minor. He’s been involved on campus as a New Student Enrollment leader, assistant hall director, chief justice for UNK Student Court and vice president of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
Caleb Wiseman, LoperCatholic
Wiseman is a junior studying 6-12 math education. He’s involved in LoperCatholic, the Honors Program, UNK Student Government and campus intramurals. Wiseman also serves as a resident assistant and math and statistics tutor, and he was a New Student Enrollment leader last summer.