York College welcomed several hundred guests to campus over its annual Homecoming and Panther Days weekend, October 22-24. Alumni returned to relive their great college memories, while prospective students and their families visited to see all that York College has to offer. The weekend schedule was extra busy including the theatre department’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, women’s basketball game, chapel, choir concert,  and class reunions. Friday afternoon’s Homecoming Golf Scramble was won Jared Bady ’06, Zeb Carter ’07, and Joseph Morien 08’ and raised $300 for the golf program. It was followed that evening by the President’s Reception for all alumni. The weekend also featured the York College Athletic Hall of Fame induction of the 1996 NSCAA Volleyball Championship Team.

During halftime of the women’s basketball game in which they defeated Kansas Christian College 102-49, the York College Homecoming Court was introduced. Pictured above are this year's king and queen: Alexandre Motta and Chailey Bollens. Chailey is a Biology major from Orange County, Calif. She is four-year starter on the women’s soccer team, playing the outside back position and was a 2020 KCAC Honorable Mention as well as a KCAC Scholar Athlete. Motta is an Accounting/Business Administration major from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He plays the left back position on the men’s soccer team and was a 2019 KCAC Honorable Mention as well as a KCAC Scholar Athlete. He is also involved with Esports, Residence Life, Kyodai Social Club and PBL.

​Senior candidates for queen were Sadie Carr of Henderson, Neb., Mikayla Brant of Clear Lake, Iowa, and Rosa Vallejo Jauregui of El Paso, Texas. King candidates were Chris Martens of Alden, Minn., Sebastian Barreto of Mount Dora, Fla., and Justus Coppinger of York, Neb. Attendants honored from the freshmen class: Avery Campbell of Abilene, Texas, and Jamie Watts of Midwest City, Okla., sophomores: Sofia Perez of Madera, Calf., and Diego Rubio of Zaragoza, Spain, and juniors: Grace Gaer of Irwin, Iowa, and Bryce Winkler of Lincoln, Neb.

Homecoming Chapel was well attended as Justus Coppinger ’22 led the singing and President Sam Smith ’96 gave the early morning’s address. Chapel was followed by a moving Concert Choir performance which included alumni joining students on the risers for the traditional closing songs. Following the concert, Dr. Jeffrey Hannel ’89 was honored as Alumnus of the Year and Angela Jiang ’04 as Young Alumna of the Year.

Mark your calendars for Spring Panther Days and Songfest, April 1-3, 2022.