By: Joshua Robles, A&E Editor

This week is homecoming at Newman, and the 2022 king and queen will be announced tonight during the halftime of the men’s basketball game.

The men’s game will start at 7:30 p.m. in Fugate Gymnasium and will follow  the women’s game, which starts at 5:30 p.m.

The winner of Wednesday night’s Lip Sync Battle will perform during the halftime of the women’s basketball game, said Vanessa Rials, Newman’s Director of Multicultural Engagement and Campus Life.

Newman’s 2022 homecoming king and queen will be crowned during the break in the men’s game and will come from a pool of five male and five female finalists. All 10 candidates will be on the court for the ceremony, Rials said.

Students voted for the winners earlier this week.

“We encourage everyone to come,” Rials said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to celebrate our students and their accomplishments. Homecoming is a time to really hype up our school spirit and recognize some outstanding students.”

These are the 10 finalists for homecoming king and queen, all of whom are seniors:

Tejay Cleland is a communication major with a minor in journalism. While at Newman, he was a part of the baseball team as both a player and coach. He has been writing for the student newspaper, The Vantage, for two years, serving as both sports editor and editor-in-chief. He also is a reporter for KWCH-Channel 12 in Wichita.

Daniel Knolla is a biochemistry major on the pre-med track and he plans to attend the University of Kansas Medical Center next semester. He has been a part of many major theater productions, including the upcoming “Mary Queen of Scots,” and is also part of the Sloppy Joes. Knolla also is a Biology Lab TA.

Tyler Push obtained a bachelor’s degree last year with a double major in sports communication and business management. He returned to school this year to pursue his master’s degree in leadership business while also utilizing an extra year of eligibility to play basebal, which he has done for four years. He also is a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and is the sports editor for The Vantage.

Steven Nguyen is majoring in English and secondary education in hopes of becoming a high school English teacher. He has been on the triathlon team for four years and has been a Campus Minister for three years. He also started and created a course for the Disc Golf Club, and as an ASC Scholar, he has spent time volunteering to work with inner city kids.

Brenden Schwartz is majoring in psychology and theatre and is a member of the honors program. He has been a captain of the Sloppy Joe Improv team for three years and an honors house leader for two years. He serves on the board for Pi Gamma Mu and is a writer for The Vantage.

Kayla Garvert is double majoring in management information systems and business data analytics. She is a St. Newman Scholar as well as an active member of the honors program and has served as a Traditions and Transitions facilitator for three years. She worked for the Student Life department for two years and also served as the Student Government Association’s vice president during her sophomore year.

Julia Myers is a senior business data analytics major. She is a member of the Newman triathlon team, an honors student, and an ASC scholar. She is also actively involved in Campus Ministry and was a student ambassador for three years. After graduation, she will start a full-time position as an aftermarket data analyst at Textron Aviation Defense.

Marie Moore is a biology major and hopes to attend medical school after graduation. For the past three years, she has been a microbiology TA, and within the past year, she has served as president of the Medical Professions Club. She also has been involved in the Sloppy Joe improv and has acted in four Newman productions. She is also a member of the honors program.

Anna Veltien is majoring in biology with a pre-medical technology concentration. She’s been a part of the Newman softball team for four years and has also served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the past two years. Over the past three years, she has served as a senator for the Student Government Association.

Allison Williams is majoring in both criminal justice and psychology and minoring in theatre. She has been involved in every theatrical and musical production put on during her time at Newman. She is involved in Pi Gamma Mu and Newman Theatre Club. She also has been accepted into the Clinical Forensic Psychology doctoral program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles and plans to move there after her wedding this summer.

PHOTO: Courtesy Photo, University Relations