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  • October 13, 2026
  • Sean Doherty

Rangers Celebrate a ‘Red, White & Rowdy’ Homecoming

A person in an eagle costume waves a large American flag beside the Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors float, a red, white and blue birthday cake spelling “USA” with a “Happy Birthday USA” sign, as riders in colonial and patriotic costumes ride along during the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming parade in Alva, Oklahoma.
The Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors won first place for on-campus floats in the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming parade Oct. 10.

ALVA, Okla. — Ranger pride was on full display as the “Red, White & Rowdy” homecoming activities at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma, concluded on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026.

Homecoming 2026 Event Details

  • Theme: “Red, White & Rowdy”
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026
  • Location: Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, Oklahoma
  • Parade marshal: Verne Metcalf
  • Ranger King and Queen: Coy Bullard and Alaina Pierce
  • Freshman Queen: Chandler Ogden
  • President’s Award for best overall float: Dream First Bank
  • Next homecoming: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2027

Ranger Run Results

Runners wearing race bibs gather at the start line under a banner reading “Northwestern Homecoming 5K Fun-Run” as Northwestern cheerleaders with red pompoms line both sides of the street at sunrise in Alva, Oklahoma.
A record-breaking 138 runners took part in the Ranger Run, sponsored by the J.R. Holder Wellness Center, to open homecoming festivities Saturday, Oct. 10. Photo courtesy of the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association.

Festivities on Saturday began with a record-breaking 138 runners in the Ranger Run sponsored by the J.R. Holder Wellness Center.

  • 1-mile fun run winners: Wyatt Sagner and Tayleigh Williams
  • 5K winners: Daxton Williams (18:06) and Jordan Logsdon (23:43)

Parade Marshal Verne Metcalf

Parade marshal Verne Metcalf and his wife, Gloria, smile and wave from the back of a gold convertible during the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming parade in downtown Alva, Oklahoma. A sign on the car door names Verne Metcalf as honorary parade marshal.
2026 parade marshal Verne Metcalf and his wife Gloria led the homecoming parade on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Longstanding Northwestern supporter Verne Metcalf, joined by his wife, Gloria, led the homecoming parade on Saturday as parade marshal.

Marching Band Competition Winners

Laverne High School band members in purple and white uniforms hold a plaque reading “Northwestern Oklahoma State University Homecoming Parade, October 10, 2026, 1st Place 2A Marching Band” at the Alva bandstand.
Laverne High School won first place in the 2A marching band competition at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming parade Oct. 10.

After the conclusion of the parade, the winners of the marching band contests were announced from among the 14 bands that participated.

  • 4A first place: Woodward High School
  • 3A first place: Sayre High School
  • 2A first place: Laverne High School
  • 2A second place: Pioneer-Pleasant Vale High School
  • 2A third place: Medford High School
  • Best drum line: Woodward
  • Best drum major salute: Chisholm
  • Best color guard: Laverne

Homecoming Float Competition Winners

Riders cheer and wave red pompoms from the Dream First Bank float, decorated with the words “Red, White & Rowdy” and an NWOSU sign, during the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming parade in downtown Alva, Oklahoma.
Dream First Bank won the President’s Award for best overall float.

On-campus floats

  • First place: Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors (NSA)
  • Second place: Northwestern Student Nursing Association
  • Third place: Northwestern Student Government Association (SGA)

Off-campus commercial business floats

  • First place: Dream First Bank
  • Second place: Beadles Nursing Home
  • Third place: Wisdom Heritage Bank

Off-campus non-profit floats

  • First place: Alva High School (AHS) Junior Class
  • Second place: Alva Pumpkin Patch
  • Third place: Northwest Technology Center

Special float awards

  • President’s Award for best overall float: Dream First Bank
  • Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association Ranger Spirit Award, for the float depicting exceptional Ranger spirit: three-way tie between the AHS Junior Class, Dream First Bank and NSA

300-Member Massed Band Performance

Color guard members wave green and silver flags in front of a long line of high school and middle school band students and the Ranger Marching Band on Ranger Field at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma.
High school and middle school students joined the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Ranger Marching Band for a 300-member massed band performance on Ranger Field before the Ranger Football homecoming game.

High school and middle school students joined the Northwestern Ranger Marching Band for a 300-member massed band performance during pregame of the Northwestern football game.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Dr. Corey Burton, Northwestern band director and assistant professor of instrumental music. “We had over 600 students from all over northwest Oklahoma and southwest Kansas. Some of them were up to two and a half hours away! The parade and mass band performance was exceptional.”

Burton thanked the band directors who accepted his invitation, the Northwestern athletics department for extra rehearsal time on the field after a lengthy parade and Pizza Hut for making 160 pizzas to feed the students.

Ranger Marching Band members in black and red uniforms and brimmed hats play brass instruments and saxophone during halftime of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University homecoming football game.
The Ranger Marching Band, joined by visiting high school and middle school band students, performs during halftime of the homecoming football game Oct. 10.

Alumni Band and Guest Director

Northwestern played host to several other activities including the alumni band, which was led by guest director Arthur “AJ” Bohlmann. Bohlmann is a 2015 Northwestern instrumental music education graduate and band director at Kremlin-Hillsdale School in Kremlin, Oklahoma.

2026 Ranger King and Queen

Ranger King Coy Bullard, wearing a crown, stands on Ranger Field with Ranger Queen Alaina Pierce and Freshman Queen Chandler Ogden, with flower girl Ashton Joy Mosburg and crown bearer Branch Allen Anderson in front, at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
Coy Bullard and Alaina Pierce were crowned Ranger King and Queen during Northwestern’s homecoming halftime event. Ranger Royalty court included (front left to right) flower girl Ashton Joy Mosburg and crown bearer Branch Allen Anderson; (back left to right) Freshman Queen Chandler Ogden, Ranger King Coy Bullard and Ranger Queen Alaina Pierce.

Coy Bullard and Alaina Pierce were crowned Ranger King and Queen during Northwestern’s homecoming halftime event.

  • Ranger King: Coy Bullard, a senior computer science major from Carter, sponsored by the Northwestern Men’s Track and Field Team
  • Ranger Queen: Alaina Pierce, a senior biology and chemistry major from Alva, sponsored by NSA
  • Freshman Queen: Chandler Ogden of Tonkawa, a biology major sponsored by Ranger Cheer, crowned during the Ranger Royalty Finalist banquet
  • Ranger King candidate: Jordan Banuelos, a sophomore computer science major from Thomas
  • Ranger Queen candidates: Raley Hooper, a sophomore English education major from Guthrie, and Ava Miller, a junior biology and chemistry major from Tuttle

Ranger Royalty was crowned at halftime by SGA President Maci Flowers, a senior agribusiness major from Meeker.

  • Crown bearer: Branch Allen Anderson, son of Kyle and Dr. Bailey Lancaster, chair of the Northwestern Department of Psychology and assistant professor of psychology
  • Flower girl: Ashton Joy Mosburg, daughter of Dr. Callie and Calleb Mosburg, Northwestern vice president for student services and enrollment management

Medallion Hunt Winners

Medallion hunt winners Haylee Durrence and Aspen Loafman smile on a Northwestern Oklahoma State University campus sidewalk; Durrence holds a handwritten note reading “Congrats! Ride Rangers Ride” and Loafman holds a medallion with a bucking horse and rider silhouette.
Haylee Durrence and Aspen Loafman, pictured left to right, were part of the team that won the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association medallion hunt, claiming the medallion along with $100 in Alva Chamber Bucks. Not pictured are team members Madelyn Carson, Kaleb Madden and Kaylee Madden. Photo courtesy of the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association.

The collaborative effort of Madelyn Carson, Haylee Durrence, Aspen Loafman, Kaleb Madden and Kaylee Madden won the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association medallion hunt, claiming the medallion along with $100 in Alva Chamber Bucks.

Campus Decorating Contest Winners

The Woodward Leadership Advisory Board’s first-place spirit sheet shows a cowboy on horseback holding up a lantern, with the words “Midnight Victory Ride,” “WLAB” and “Woodward Rowdy Revolution.”
The Woodward Leadership Advisory Board won first place in the on-campus Spirit Sheet Competition.

Northwestern’s on-campus activities had a great turnout of decorations that displayed Ranger spirit from all three campuses.

Spirit Sheet Competition

  • First place: Woodward Leadership Advisory Board
  • Second place: Wesley House
  • Third place: Sanctus Catholic Club

Spirit Board Competition

  • First place: Northwestern Art Society
  • Second place: Northwestern Psychology Club
  • Third place: SGA

Office/window display

  • First place: J.R. Holder Wellness Center
  • Second place: Business Office
  • Third place: J.W. Martin Library

Door/wall display

  • First place: TRIO Student Support Services office
  • Second place: office for the Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • Third place: Counseling Services office

Residence halls

  • First place: Cunningham Hall
  • Second place: Coronado Hall
  • Third place: Fryer Hall
The Northwestern Art Society’s first-place spirit board shows Rowdy with a paintbrush and crown in front of fireworks, with the words “We the” and “Rangers,” displayed on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University campus in Alva, Oklahoma.
The Northwestern Art Society won first place in the on-campus Spirit Board Competition.

Homecoming Committee Thanks Participants

“Thanks to the cooperation this year from mother nature, Northwestern homecoming 2026 was a well-attended series of events,” said Dr. David Pecha, homecoming chairman and university executive vice president. “Alumni and friends of Northwestern showed up in strong numbers for all events and activities. Kudos to the homecoming committee for another great year!”

Homecoming 2027 Theme and Parade Marshal Contest

The homecoming committee will start work soon on next year’s homecoming, set for Saturday, Oct. 2, 2027.

Be watching for a contest to open during the spring semester to enter ideas for next year’s homecoming theme and parade marshal. The homecoming committee will consider all entries and make an announcement of the new theme and parade marshal during the spring semester.

Northwestern Homecoming 2026 Photos

View photos from Northwestern’s 2026 homecoming events

Media Contact

Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480

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Miss Cinderella 2025 Madeline Ryerson, wearing a tiara and a black gown, stands behind Kaycie Shelton and places a crown on her head on stage at Northwestern Oklahoma State University's 74th Miss Cinderella Pageant in Alva, Oklahoma. Shelton, Miss Cinderella 2026, smiles in a purple sequined gown and holds a bouquet of red roses and baby's breath. Strands of iridescent teardrop shapes hang against a gold backdrop behind them.

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