UNK Marching Band Kicks Off New School Year With First Game-Day Performance On Saturday

UNK MARCHING BAND KICKS OFF NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH  FIRST GAME-DAY PERFORMANCE ON SATURDAY

UNK- The University of Nebraska at Kearney’s “Pride of the Plains” marching band will make their first game-day appearance for the 2008-2009 academic year tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 30) during the home-opener against Wayne State.

        The band is under the direction of Dr. Neal Schnoor, UNK director of bands. He is assisted in the direction of the band by Dr. Gary Davis. Seniors Megan Smits of Ashland and Troy Ehmke of Beatrice will serve as drum majors.

        This will be the fourth performance for the band. Previous appearances included an exhibition to kick-off Blue and Gold Welcome Week, the New Student Convocation and Lopers Under the Lights.

            A unique feature of the marching band, colorguard and drumline is that many are not music majors. Students are from all four of the UNK university colleges, the UNMC College of Nursing and the UNK aviation program.        

        “We have students from more than 20 departments,” Dr. Schnoor said. “This is the most cohesive group; they work extremely well together.”

            The band will showcase their “Americana” show on Saturday, which they will also perform in Omaha during the UNK vs. UNO game Sept. 9. Future performances will include the “Classical” show during the Sept. 20 game against Adams State for UNK Family Day, a “Jesus Christ Superstar” show for the Oct. 11 Homecoming game against New Mexico Highlands and a “Patriotic Tribute” for the Nov. 8 Senior Day game against Mesa State.  

Band personnel are listed below, alphabetically by hometown, state and country. Colorguard membership is noted in parenthesis:

Amherst- Chris Gugel

Archer- Amy Neel (colorguard), Jody Neel

Ashland- Kimberly Morwitzer, Megan Smits

Aurora- Jenna Ahrens (colorguard), Ashley Lawton, Jessica Merten (colorguard)

Bassett- Cameron Scheibe

Beatrice- Keygan Boesinger, Troy Ehmke, Zach Klar

Bellevue- Kara Dacey

Blair- Helen Breuer (colorguard), Allison Mussack (colorguard)

Blue Hill- Danielle Mohlman (colorguard)

Boleus- Emily McIntosh

Central City- Diana Morgan (colorguard)

Clay Center- Jeff Shaw

Comstock- Robert Roth

Cozad- Andee Buback

Doniphan- Kallie McDermott

Farwell- Jennifer Rathman

Fremont- Joshua Steager

Geneva- Phillip Boon

Genoa- Blaine Drozd

Gering- David Kelly

Gibbon- Amy Smallcomb

Grand Island- Michelle Bergholz, Becky Bervin, Stephen Carlson, Tom Carlson, Mackenzie Cochran, Alicia Griesman, Michael Hernandez, James Kenyon, Ryne Miller, Katelyn Rempe, Lauren Stewart

Grant- Brooke Harris

Gretna- Bethany Chandler

Hastings- Kathleen Albers (colorguard), Brittney Kramer (colorguard),

Brooke Lacy (colorguard)

Holdrege- Jennifer Nelson (colorguard), Kyla Nelson (colorguard)

Hordville- Trevor Schnabel

Kearney- Tyler Allen, Stacy Laue, Miles Margritz, Eryn McBride, Paul

Niedbalski, David O’Neil, Megan Theesen (colorguard),

Nathan Thorn, Paloma Mena-Werth,

Hannah Williams (colorguard)

Lexington- Arturo Banderas, Dayvid Cardenas

Lincoln- Cameron Adams, Michelle Allen (colorguard), Leah Bartek,

Katie Flentie, Megan Gengenbach (colorguard), Jason Gfeller,

Alicia Hunt (colorguard)

McCook- Casey Cobb, Tyler Cobb, Lewis Tapia

North Platte- Jordan Blackledge, Michael Conley, Beth Deardoff, Shalee Fillmer,

            Carey Teeters

Omaha- Kelci Fulton, Andrew Jacobitz, Cayle Jones, Matthew Morse,

Katie Trygg

Phillips- David Ziola

Pickrell- Laura Goracke

Ravenna- Brandon Bohn, Scott Bohn

Scottsbluff- Brooke Brown, Amy Krichau

St. Libory- Adam White

St. Paul- Justin Buchanan

Wahoo- Matt Braunsroth

Wallace- Phillip Lempke

Weeping Water- Casey Webster

West Point- Laura Buse, Phillip Erb, Stephanie Luebbert (colorguard)

Wood River- Jeremy Uhrich, Sarah Uhrich

York- Caryn Vincent

 

ARKANSAS- 

            Mountain Home- Wes Pendergrass

 

IOWA-

            Red Oak- Aaron Bochmann

            Union- Brett Kluever

 KANSAS- 

            Hoxie- Kylie Lewis

 

MICHIGAN-

            Southfield- Anthony Ford

 

VIRGINIA-

            Springfield- Niki Kadin (colorguard)

 

JAPAN- 

Mari Nakamura

Asami Otsuka

Sean Takahashi