A downtown parade, hall of fame celebrations, alumni reunions, Bronco athletics and the crowning of student royalty will take center stage as Hastings College celebrates Homecoming 2026 from September 24-27.
The annual tradition brings together alumni, community members, students and families to celebrate Bronco spirit. Ahead of next weekend’s festivities, the student body selected 10 members of the junior class to serve on the 2026 Homecoming Court.
Homecoming Royalty, the top two recipients determined by a vote of the student body, will be announced during the student dinner on Friday, September 26.
For a full schedule of Homecoming events, including registration forms, visit hastings.edu/homecoming.
Key Homecoming events include:
Chamber Business After Hours: Kick off the weekend on Thursday, September 24, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Lynn Farrell Arena. The new Athletic Hall of Fame display will be unveiled as part of the event.
Homecoming Golf Tournament: Hit the links with HC! All proceeds benefit Hastings College Athletics and student-athletes. Check in at Lochland Country Club begins at 10:00 a.m. and lunch will be provided. Registration is still open for this event.
Hall of Fame Inductions: Celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni at the fine arts and athletic hall of fame inductions on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.
Melody Round-Up Parade: A downtown Hastings tradition, the parade takes place on Saturday, September 26, with step-off at 10:30 a.m.
Bronco Athletics and Tailgate: Join the Bronco Tailgate on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in the Gray Center/JDAC parking lot before an exciting day of sports. Cheer on the Broncos at these home contests, which are all on Saturday:
- Football vs. Northwestern, 1:00 p.m.
- Women’s Soccer vs. Waldorf, 5:30 p.m.
- Men’s Soccer vs. Waldorf, 8:00 p.m.
2026 Homecoming Court
Members of the 2026 Hastings College Homecoming Court include:
Sam Acosta Castellanos, a biochemistry major from Grand Island, Nebraska, is the co-founder of the Latino Student Organization, a member of Tri Beta biology honor society and the DEIB lead for the Student Association.
Lexi Benson, a K-12 physical education and secondary education double major from Hastings, Nebraska, is a resident assistant and officer for the Association of Student Athletes and Chi Omega Psi. She serves as secretary for the Student Association, is a member of the women’s tennis team and Alpha Chi, and was named a 2025 Women’s GPAC Tennis Honorable Mention.
Caden Block, a business administration major from Hastings, Nebraska, is a Scott Scholar and a Student Senate member. He also placed second in Big Idea Hastings with his business, Caden Block Media.
Leah Downer, a Spanish and psychology double major from Cambridge, Nebraska, is a Dean’s List student, resident assistant and Studio 200 tutor. She is involved in the Hastings College Choir, swim team, SAI, Association of Student Athletes and Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society.
Abby Fielder, a physics major from Hastings, Nebraska, is a Dean’s List student and Scott Scholar, where she leads the Design Thinking Workshop. She is also involved in the Student Association, Alpha Chi and the pickleball club.
Stella Heapy, an accounting and finance double major from Curtis, Nebraska, plays on the Hastings College women’s basketball team, serves as an FCA leader and is a Scott Scholar.
Brady Lichtenberg, a business administration and exercise science double major from Windsor, Colorado, is a Dean’s List student, member of the football team and a member of FCA.
Ellie Lloyd, a marketing and agribusiness double major from North Platte, Nebraska, played volleyball for two years before shifting focus to track and field, where she qualified for the national meet and earned academic all-conference honors. She is an NAIA Scholar Athlete, Scott Scholar, Student Association participant and serves in a leadership role with FCA.
Norah Stewart, a biology major from Lincoln, Nebraska, is a Scott Scholar, president of Chi Omega and a member of Bronco Catholic. A team captain for women’s soccer, she earned Bronco of the Year and is a two-time GPAC Honorable Mention recipient.
McKenna Yates, an exercise science major from McCool Junction, Nebraska, plays on the women’s basketball team, where she earned GPAC Freshman of the Year and back-to-back GPAC First Team honors. She is also involved in the Association of Student Athletes and the sports internship program.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.