KEARNEY – Eight finalists for University of Nebraska at Kearney homecoming royalty were announced Monday during a pep rally on campus.
Queen candidates are Avery Laing of Omaha, Grace Maloley of Holdrege, Jenna Rauert of Wood River and Ally Sedlacek of O’Neill. King candidates are Jack Allen of Aurora, Josiah Gonzales of Scottsbluff, Ean Luebbe of Columbus and Sam Schroeder of Seward.
UNK’s homecoming king and queen will be crowned Thursday night following the lip-sync competition, which begins at 7 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:
Avery Laing, Upsilon Eta Upsilon
A senior studying middle level education, Laing founded the Upsilon Eta Upsilon Honor Society for Black Excellence, which was recognized as the New Student Organization of the Year during the 2024 Applauding Excellence awards ceremony on campus. Laing is also part of the Intercultural Scholars and Leaders Community and Zeta Phi Beta sorority. She was named Emerging Leader of the Year and Student of the Year by the former Office of Intercultural Engagement and Leadership and was selected to serve on the chancellor’s search committee. Laing was Blue Gold Welcome coordinator for the 2025-26 academic year.
Grace Maloley, Alpha Omicron Pi
Maloley is a senior studying business administration with an emphasis in marketing and minors in strategic communication and journalism. She’s involved in the UNK Honors Program, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, Ad/PR Club, Students in Mass Media and Order of Omega and Mortar Board honor societies.
Jenna Rauert, Gamma Phi Beta
A senior studying communication disorders, Rauert serves as education vice president for the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, president of Greeks Advocating for Healthy Lifestyles and UNK student liaison for the Nebraska Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She’s also involved in the UNK Honors Program, Chancellor’s Ambassadors, Kearney Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Order of Omega and Mortar Board honor societies. A dean’s list student with a 4.0 GPA, Rauert previously served as a Panhellenic recruitment leader, Loper Leader and undergraduate research assistant. She was part of the UNK volleyball team for one season.
Ally Sedlacek, Alpha Phi
Sedlacek is a senior studying political science with a minor in journalism. She serves as president of the Alpha Phi sorority and vice president of programming for the Order of Omega honor society. Sedlacek is also involved in the Kearney Law Opportunities Program, Pre-Law Society and The Antelope student newspaper, and she works as a graphic design intern at the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, supporting social media strategy, digital marketing campaigns and community outreach. As secretary of community relations for UNK Student Government, she played a key role in organizing The Big Event, a campuswide community service project that included about 400 students last spring.
King candidates, and the organizations they represent, are:
Jack Allen, UNK wrestling
Allen is a junior studying geography and political science. He’s a member of the UNK wrestling team.
Josiah Gonzales, UNK cheerleading
Gonzales is a senior studying business, marketing and information technology education. He’s co-head captain and yell leader for the UNK cheer team. Gonzales also serves as a student senator representing the College of Education, and he’s involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He was a New Student Enrollment leader last summer.
Ean Luebbe, Sigma Phi Epsilon
Luebbe is a senior studying health sciences with a minor in biology. He’s served as a Chancellor’s Ambassador, New Student Enrollment leader, vice president of Greeks Advocating for Healthy Lifestyles and president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Luebbe has also been involved in undergraduate research and the Mortar Board and Order of Omega honor societies. He works as a certified pharmacy technician.
Sam Schroeder, Pi Kappa Alpha
Schroeder is a senior studying political science with minors in public law and global peace and security. A member of the Kearney Law Opportunities Program, he’s served in UNK Student Government since his freshman year and is currently in his second term as student body president and student regent. He’s also served as president of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and been involved in the UNK Honors Program, Undergraduate Research Fellows, Catholic Newman Center, Pre-Law Society, Order of Omega honor society and NU Student Alliance.
PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRITCHARD, UNK COMMUNICATIONS
