Grossnicklaus, Russell named UNK Homecoming royalty

UNK Homecoming queen Lainey Russell of Kearney and Luke Grossnicklaus of Aurora.
UNK Homecoming queen Lainey Russell of Kearney and Luke Grossnicklaus of Aurora. (Photos by Corbey R. Dorsey/UNK Communications)

King, queen reign from Aurora, Kearney

KEARNEY – Lainey Russell of Kearney and Luke Grossnicklaus of Aurora were crowned homecoming queen and king Thursday at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The two will be recognized during halftime of UNK’s football game Saturday against Washburn at 2 p.m. and oversee remaining homecoming week festivities, including the parade at 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Kearney.

Lainey Russell
Lainey Russell
Luke Grossnicklaus
Luke Grossnicklaus

Russell and Grossnicklaus were among eight finalists selected by a student vote, with a second round of voting determining the winners.

A junior from Kearney studying psychology and health science for pre-occupational therapy, Russell was New Student Enrollment Leader this summer, social chair of external events for Alpha Phi and serves on the sorority’s executive board as vice president of membership recruitment. She volunteers for Launch Leadership, is a Student Diplomat, student coordinator for Skills for Success, Gold Torch Society member, Loper Leader, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society member and vice president of Greeks Advocating for the Mature Management of Alcohol.

A junior from Aurora majoring in secondary business education with a coaching endorsement, Grossnicklaus is a Chancellor’s Ambassador, former member of the Loper golf team and president of his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. He also is a Student Diplomat and member of the Honors Program and Order of Omega.

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UNK Homecoming court, left to right: Courtney Hayden, Carlie Prososki, McKenzie Cuba, Lainey Russell, Luke Grossnicklaus, Sam Stoltenberg, Michael Wiese and Greg Christen.
UNK Homecoming court, left to right: Courtney Hayden, Carlie Prososki, McKenzie Cuba, Lainey Russell, Luke Grossnicklaus, Sam Stoltenberg, Michael Wiese and Greg Christen.