Snow didn’t stop fans from filling the stands of the Fugate Gymnasium during homecoming night Feb. 12 at Newman University.
The women’s basketball team, led by head coach Amy Briggs, went head-to-head with players from the University of Nebraska in Kearney. Newman scored the first basket of the night and saw noteworthy shots from players Jaeden McMillin, Valeriya Lioukina, Brooklyn Love and Saige Grampsas. The Jets were eventually defeated by the Lopers with a final score of 69-42.
The men’s basketball team faced off with sharpshooters Aaron Murphy, Thatcher McClure, Jayden Shoen and Deadric Fikes leading the Jets in baskets. Murphy’s 25 points, which included a nothing-but-net 3-point shot, set both his career high and season high. The Lopers took the lead in the first half and eventually won 79-66.
A surprise for the student-athletes
Win or lose, the night showcased the hard work of Newman’s student-athletes, who were rewarded with a surprise from a caring staff member at the end of the night.
Kelli Griffin, director of food services at Newman, leads her team each day in the Mabee Dining Center. In between serving breakfast, lunches and dinners to residential students, she assembled individually wrapped snack bags for students of the men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as the cheer and dance teams.
“The kids all deserve it,” Griffin said. “They’ve been very great this year and very appreciative. They need a little treat to boost them every once in a while and I thought homecoming was the best time to do it.”
Bringing community together
In addition to the regular concession items, guests enjoyed steamed beef and pork bao buns and boba tea from Wichita’s Leaf Teahouse, during an event hosted by Student Life. An alumni checkpoint was also held in the Child’s Conference Room just outside of the Fugate Gym with snacks, drinks and swag from Newman Director of Alumni Relations Dana Beitey.
One alumnus and athletics hall of famer Tim Eckberg ‘76 does his best to attend every Newman basketball game he can. For him, it’s like coming home — and not just on homecoming night.
“When I was a student here, I was a sports information director also,” Eckberg explained. “I was on the golf team and I played basketball, so I was pretty involved with the school. I was working full time, going to school full time, married to my wife and we had just had our first son in 1975. We used to go to the homecoming dance even after we graduated. I went to Wichita State University for a semester, but everything was just better at Newman.”
Eckberg describes Newman as a “special place,” a sentiment that he gets to live out again with every campus visit.
“The people at Newman just care,” he said.
For other alumni, the night represented a chance to reconnect, get out of the house and support the next generation of Newman students.
Alumna Ann Fox ‘81, ‘01 takes her son, AJ, out every Wednesday night to do something he enjoys. They already made plans to watch Newman’s game and were pleasantly surprised to participate in the homecoming festivities.
“AJ lives out at Starkey Inc., and loves watching basketball, so we came out to see the girls play,” Fox said. “His two sisters are alumni and so are my husband and I. I was involved in pretty much everything I could be as a student: volleyball, chorale, The Vantage student newspaper and the Student Government Association. It’s fun to see that same school spirit out here tonight.”
Fox believes that “once you’re a Jet, you’re always a Jet.” She holds on to many lessons and values from her time at Newman, but perhaps her most memorable lesson was a simple one.
“Sister Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC, taught us to put the cream in our coffee cup first so you never have to stir it,” Fox said with a laugh. “It’s a very practical, little thing, but that’s how all the sisters were in our lives. They were just a part of everything.”
Two crowns and loads of memories
At the halftime of the men’s basketball game, cheers roared through the gym when the 2025 homecoming court candidates walked out arm-in-arm for the annual king and queen crowning.
The 2025 female nominees were nursing major Hallie Johnson, marketing major Andrea Fuentes, marketing and sports media and promotion major Madison Canez, philosophy major Beth Griffiths and sports media and promotion major Ana Zeikidze.
The male nominees were management and marketing major Andrea Bramati, chemistry major Corbin Molina, data analytics major Ali Mounir, business management major Juan Carlos Cordova and biology with a pre-medicine concentration major Daniel Cubias. Eight of the 10 candidates were student-athletes.
Talia Powers, a member of the 2022 homecoming court, was excited to support her boyfriend, Cubias, as he competed for the crown. Her sister Taylor ‘21 and family members were also there to celebrate the event.
“I’m really proud of him because I know he puts in a lot of effort to everything he does on campus,” Talia said. “I also came to hear him sing the national anthem with the troubadours and to support the cheer and dance teams because I was a part of those.”
Director of Student Activities Joshua Schoenecker-Prilliman excitedly announced the winners. Cordova was crowned homecoming king and Fuentes was crowned the 2025 queen.
Meet the king
Cordova, an international student from Ecuador, said he was shocked to win. He said his first instinct was that he couldn’t wait to send a photo to his parents back home.
“The people that I’ve gotten to know here at Newman, that’s something I’m going to carry my whole life,” he said. “As an international student, it can be hard at the beginning to leave home, but you’re not alone. The people here are going to make you feel like family. Be patient and trust in God’s plan.”
Cordova is particularly passionate about soccer — something he will always remember from his Newman experience.
“It is more than kicking a ball, it is more than going to watch a game — it’s a whole life,” Cordova said. “It’s a cultural thing. It’s something that came from my family from years and years. It’s not just a game, it’s more what you feel and all the experience that you gained with being in soccer and being a fan.”
After graduation, Cordova plans to earn optional practical training, and his master’s degree and continue pursuing his dream of working in the fine dining industry.
Greeting the queen
Fuentes sprinted off the basketball court to change from her cheer team outfit into her homecoming dress. She was at a loss for words when she heard her name called as homecoming queen.
“I don’t even know what to think, but I’m very blessed,” she said. “My parents were in the stands and I’m very thankful for that. So when my name was called, I immediately turned around to look at my parents. I just saw my mom jumping up and down and she and my dad were both smiling really big. It was really nice seeing them in the stands, supporting me as a cheerleader, as a student and as homecoming queen now.”
It was “a bonus” to be crowned alongside one of her best friends, Fuentes said.
Fuentes is involved on campus as a residence assistant, an intern for the Student Success Center, a student worker for University Relations and an intern with the Wichita Thunder hockey team. She’s also passionate about photography, which she hopes to continue.
“I love photography. It’s a way I can express myself and show people from my point of view,” she said.
Fuentes plans to earn her master’s degree in data science to become the first in her family to become a data engineer.
