Athletic focus of homecoming celebration to include special alumni recognitions and community events

Hesston College Homecoming 2018 promotional image
Posted on by Rachel McMaster

Hesston College’s annual homecoming celebration Sept. 27 to 30 will include a special focus on 60 years of intercollegiate Lark athletics. Along with the traditional homecoming activities, the weekend lineup includes recognitions of distinguished alumni athletes and coaches, events for the campus and wider Hesston communities and musical entertainment by bluegrass band, The Steel Wheels.

A full weekend schedule, registration and information can be found online.

Several recognitions throughout the weekend will be of particular note. At 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28, the college will honor Evan Oswald, a 1948 graduate, as the founding father of Hesston College organized athletics. Oswald was instrumental in launching organized intercollegiate sports at Hesston, and served as a coach, faculty member and athletic director for many years. A multi-media presentation will give a glimpse into the athletic program’s history, and current men’s basketball coach, 2004 graduate Dustin Galyon will bring today’s programs into focus.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, the college’s soccer field will be named Sieber Field in honor of longtime coach and 1964 graduate Gerry Sieber for his many contributions to the college and Lark athletics. Sieber retired in December 2017 after more than 30 years of coaching Lark athletes. A new scoreboard bearing the Sieber Field name will be unveiled as part of the event.

Detouring from athletics, joint nursing alumni of Hesston College and Kansas City General Hospital (KCGH) nursing program from the 1950’s and 60’s will be formally recognized with the unveiling of a historical composite picture panel to be placed among the college’s more than 50 other nursing classes. The ceremony and reception will be at 10 a.m., Sept. 29 in the Lemons Center nursing facility.

As has become tradition, the college’s homecoming is held in conjunction with the Hesston community and high school. Home Sweet Hesston activities are planned with the larger community and whole family in mind.

Community-wide homecoming events include:

  • Home Sweet Hesston parade, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26
  • Alumni and community art showcase and reception, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28, Friesen Center for the Visual Arts
  • The Manickam Mosey two-mile run/walk, 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29. Register online.
  • Free kids’ festival, 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, lawn south of tennis courts, complete with games, bouncy houses and face painting.
  • Picnic meal, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, Campus Activities Center, featuring a free Knackies picnic meal with Water’s Edge Restaurant homemade ice cream to top it off.
  • The Steel Wheels in concert, 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, Hesston Mennonite Church. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students ages five through high school. All seating is general admission. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Purchase tickets at the Hesston College Bookstore in Erb Hall, online or call 620-327-8104. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door, although purchasing tickets ahead of time is strongly encouraged.