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Morehead State celebrates Homecoming 2021

20 October 2021

Students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Morehead State University reconnected to celebrate the blue and gold during MSU’s annual Homecoming Weekend.

"Homecoming 2021 was an amazing gathering of Eagles on a perfect weekend," said Mindy Highley (Class of 1991, 1993), assistant vice president for alumni relations and development. "Alumni returned to reminisce about their time on campus and to connect with today’s students. Each year at this time, thousands of people come back home to Morehead State and prove true the saying 'Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle.'"

On Friday, Oct. 15, MSU held a virtual event with its Memorial Brick Ceremony to honor faculty and staff that passed away during the last year. That evening, there was also a Homecoming Kickoff Celebration at the Adron Doran University Center (ADUC).

The day’s activities concluded with the Homecoming Alumni Awards Presentation at Button Auditorium, where MSU alumni and friends honored the 2021 Founders Award for University Service and 2020 and 2021 Alumni Award recipients.

Alumni Award recipients:

2020 Founders Award for University Service

Dr. Bob Albert (Class of 1984, 1985)

2021 Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees

Tom Clay (Class of 1983)
Gary Kidwell (Class of 1965, 1973, 1986)
Ramona Justice Vikan (Class of 1998)

2020 Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees

Dr. Jeffrey Bumpous (Class of 1984)
Mac Caudill (Class of 1993)
Dr. Willi Walker (Class of 1956)

Rising Eagle Award Winners

2021 Honoree – Nathan Blum (Class of 2012)
2020 Honoree – Dr. Jordan Atkinson (Class of 2009, 2010)

Eagle Spirit Award Winners

2021 Honoree – Amber Philpott Hill (Class of 2003)
2020 Honorees – Rocky (Class of 1990) and Barbara Niemeyer

Notable Alumni Award Winner

2020 Honoree – Dr. Jack Herlihy (Class of 1969, 1972)

The MSU Homecoming Parade brought out alumni, students, faculty, staff and the community as it made its way through Main Street in downtown Morehead the morning of Saturday, Oct. 16.

Later that afternoon, the MSU Eagle football team defeated Butler with a final score of 31-8.

During halftime, Sarah Hallock, senior from Morehead, and Cody Hammonds, senior from Lovely, were crowned as this year’s Homecoming Queen and King. Members of the Homecoming Court were Angelique Clay (senior, Columbus, Ohio), M'Shae Mathews (senior, Morehead), Montana Runnels (senior, Proctorville, Ohio), Isabella Washka (senior, Latana, Texas), Spencer Dubbels (senior, Clay County), Alontá Linton (senior, Springfield), Jimmy Ray (senior, Pikeville) and Ethan Wells (senior, Elkhorn City).

View a gallery of photos from Homecoming 2021 at www.flickr.com/photos/msu1887/albums/72157720056340902.

Watch our MSU Homecoming 2021 YouTube playlist with highlights of the events and features on award recipients below:

MSU Homecoming 2022 will take place Oct. 21-22, 2022. To learn more, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/homecoming.