Nebraska

Giltner girl wins National American Miss Nebraska pageant

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2024

Giltner girl wins National American Miss Nebraska pageant

GILTNER, Neb. (KSNB) – The Olympic trials aren’t the only place you will see central Nebraska represented. Makeena Huhman will be representing Nebraska in the National American Miss pageant after being crowned Miss Nebraska Junior Pre-Teen at its pageant in Omaha. The 9-year-old says preparing for a pageant is a process; you have to pick outfits, do your hair, and maybe some nail polish and sometimes the process can be boring or frustrating, but it’s pretty easy work for Huhman.

Huhman said they wore long dresses for the formal portion and her dress was a corset back. In casual wear a jump suit or tank top and shorts are allowed, but a tank top and shorts look can go either way with the judges. Huhman said the goal is to find a happy medium because you don’t want to look perfect or sloppy.

Huhman has been attending pageants since she was six-weeks-old because of her older sister, Taylor is also in pageants. Participating in pageants helps Makenna make new friends, but even she was surprised by her victory.

“At first I was like shocked and my coach and my mom they were both crying, it was really funny,” said Huhman. “I was about to cry honestly, and I thought the girl that won two years ago was gonna win but as soon as they called her name as first runner-up or second she thought it’s gonna be Makenna.”

Huhman said overall, they’re judged on their personality and smile. Her mother, Stephanie Barthel also took a different approach with her pageantry.

“Both Taylor and Makenna have always scored pretty well in everything, but this year the thing that we did different was we hired a pageant coach,” said Barthel. “We met with her on Zoom calls once a week, and she gave us a lot of little insights that I wouldn’t have thought of and those definitely helped Makenna win the crown this year.”

Barthel said Makenna’s pageant coach worked on several things with her including her formal wear walk, casual wear modeling and interviewing skills. Huhman also has a passion for volunteering.

“That would be because my uncle and aunt are volunteer firefighters in Trumball and they don’t get paid for what they do,” said Huhman. “So they do fundraisers, and I absolutely love helping them with that because it’s making new friends and it’s also having fun.”

Huhman said the best part is seeing the firefighters show their personality. Barthel said it’s nice to see someone from central Nebraska represent the state.

“I think that it is really awesome to have a state pageant queen from the small town of Giltner, even just the Tri-Cities area,” said Barthel. “Many of the queens seem to come from like Lincoln and Omaha area; that’s where they get the most contestants from. And just having one from a small town that’s going to show those small town values is going to be really amazing.”

They’re still excited about winning the state title.

“It has been like exciting and fun so far, and I bet it’s going to be even better in Orlando because my mom said we’d be there for like eight days, and I’m like eight days in a really hot place, yay!” said Makenna.

They’re still looking for sponsors to help fund the trip, travel and stay will cost them approximately $4,000. Huhman has racked up a number of trophies during the state competition, but over the Thanksgiving weekend she hopes to add the National trophy to her collection.

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Nebraska

68 students chosen as Nebraska Young Artist Award winners

Published

9 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

68 students chosen as Nebraska Young Artist Award winners

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the winners of the 29th annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.

The awards recognize 11th-grade students from Nebraska for their talents in visual art, dance, music, theatre, and film and emerging media arts.

Sixty-eight students from more than 40 high schools across the state have been selected as award winners and will be invited to a day of activities on campus March 25.

“Our faculty always look forward to this event,” said Chris Watson, director of recruitment for the college and coordinator of the awards. “They love meeting enthusiastic young artists, working with them and celebrating their talent.”

Students applied for the recognition and submitted an example of their work. Applications were received from 92 students. Hixson-Lied College faculty chose the winners.

Award winners were also asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents.

Each student will receive a certificate and an original piece of artwork commissioned for the event and created by a School of Art, Art History and Design student.

Following is a list of award winners by hometown, with their high school and specialty area(s).

Aurora:

Calvin Miller, Aurora, music

Beaver City:

Johnathan Eakin, Southern Valley, visual arts

Bellevue:

Mami Lloyd, Bellevue West, music

Bennington:

Liliana Martic, Bennington, music

Eagle:

Jorie Goings, Waverly, dance

Firth:

Petra Van Cleave, home school, music

Fremont:

Xavier Herre, Bergan Catholic, theatre

Fullerton:

Lylla Sabata, Fullerton, music

Gretna:

Lillian Bock, Gretna, music

Harvard:

Allee Jarzynka, Harvard, music

Hendley:

Lily Jordan, Southern Valley, visual arts

Hooper:

Leo Arellano, Logan View, visual arts
Ellsie Meier, Logan View, visual arts

Kearney:

Kruz Flamig, Kearney, visual arts
Isaac Hooton, Kearney, visual arts
Mariah Kaslon, Kearney, visual arts
Landen Tilley, Kearney, visual arts

Lincoln:

Alissa Brenning, Norris, dance
Kali Brewer, Lincoln Southeast, visual arts
Ava Engel, Lincoln Northeast, dance
Emalie Fischer, Lincoln North Star, dance
Adelyn Haden, Lincoln Standing Bear, dance and music
Audrey Haugen, Lincoln Southwest, theatre
Andrea Hu, Lincoln East, music
Logan Lambrecht, Lincoln Southwest, music and theatre
Mckinzey Lile, Lincoln North Star, dance
Hayley Marshall, Lincoln Southwest, dance
Riley Minster, Lincoln East, music
Joslyn Morgan, Lincoln Southeast, music
Ariadne Ottoson, home school, music
Megan Plander, Lincoln Lutheran, theatre
Lauren Ramey, LPS Arts and Humanities Focus Program, visual arts
Blake Semrad, Lincoln Southwest, dance
Emma Shaeffer, Lincoln Southwest, dance
Taylor Sharpe, Lincoln Southwest, dance
Hugh Skretta, Lincoln High, music
Samuel Sulzle, Lincoln Northwest, music
Brooks Xia, Lincoln East, music

Martell:

Reese Thomas, home school, music

Norfolk:

Noah Asbury, Norfolk, music
Emily Henkel, Norfolk, music; Nathan Kaiser, Norfolk, music
North Platte: Brett Pfeifer, North Platte, theatre

Omaha:

Asher Abuhl, Trinity Classical Academy, music
Adam Campagna, Omaha South, film and emerging media arts
Liam Cowherd Richardson, Creighton Preparatory, music
Regina Ho, Millard South, film and emerging media arts
Connor Holmstedt, Fort Calhoun, music
Kara Leininger, Duchesne Academy, music
Jayden Li, Millard North, music; Violet Little, Omaha Central, dance
Mrethi Magesh, Millard North, dance
Venkatesan Marichamy, Millard North, dance
Moyra Matthews, Duchesne Academy, dance and music
Jackson Mu, Millard North, music
Gauri Nair, Millard North, dance
Angela Qi, Millard North, music
Jackson Ramsey, Gretna East, music
Tara Richardson, Creighton Prep, music
Vandana Santhanam, Marian, music
Caroline Soderlin, Millard North, music
Akshara Venkatesan, Millard North, dance
Caleigh Walkenhorst, Millard West, music

Osmond:

Donovan Heiman, Osmond, theatre

Papillion:

Emelia Weaver, Papillion-La Vista, music

Pierce:

Spencer Sindt, Pierce, music

Randolph:

Brecken Shearer, Randolph, visual arts

York:

Allison Holmes, York, visual arts

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Nebraska

Nebraska completes sweep over Michigan State in 12-2 seven-inning win

Published

21 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska completes sweep over Michigan State in 12-2 seven-inning win

Nebraska baseball (10-5, 3-0) closed out its three-game series with Michigan State (3-11, 0-3) on Sunday afternoon. The Huskers completed the sweep over the Spartans, earning a 12-2 run-rule win in seven.

Nebraska shut down Michigan State early, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first after the Spartans took a 1-0 lead. The Huskers scored 11 straight before surrendering another run. The team totaled 11 hits and held Michigan State to three. The Spartans also suffered five errors.

Nebraska struck three home runs on the day, two off the bat of Dylan Carey. He hit 3-for-4 for four RBIs after hitting multiple two-run home runs. Preston Freeman also blasted a two-run shot over the wall to finish 1-for-3.

Case Sanderson brought in three RBIs after batting 2-for-4 with a double. Drew Grego also finished 2-for-4, earning one RBI. Mac Moyer grabbed one RBI off a double. Jett Buck and Joshua Overbeek each delivered one hit.

Gavin Blachowicz (2-1) won at the mound and pitched all seven innings for the Huskers. He struck out a career-high 11 batters and allowed three hits for two runs.

Nebraska remains at home for its next matchup, hosting North Dakota State on Wednesday night. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.

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Nebraska

Cale Jacobsen scores 15 and No. 9 Nebraska beats Iowa 84-75 in overtime after blowing late lead

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Cale Jacobsen scores 15 and No. 9 Nebraska beats Iowa 84-75 in overtime after blowing late lead

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Cale Jacobsen came off the bench to score 13 of his 15 points after halftime and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer in overtime, and ninth-ranked Nebraska matched its program record for wins in a season with an 84-75 victory over Iowa on Sunday.

Sam Hoiberg, who scored 15 points and had five steals on his senior day, hugged teammate Pryce Sandfort near halfcourt as time ran out and then heaved the ball high into the stands. He and his father, coach Fred Hoiberg, embraced and a short time later the rest of the Huskers came out of the tunnel to salute the sellout crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska (26-5, 15-5 Big Ten) led by 10 points with five minutes left in regulation but missed five of its next seven shots and a couple of late free throws to let the Hawkeyes back in it. Kael Combs scored Iowa’s last eight points of regulation, including a second-chance 3-pointer that tied it 70-all with 2.7 seconds left.

After Cooper Koch tied it at 75-all in overtime, Jacobsen made a 3 from the corner and the Huskers went on to score the final nine points. The Huskers beat Iowa (20-11, 10-10) for the first time in five meetings and split the season series.

Sandfort, who transferred from Iowa after last season, scored 15 points and Rienk Mast added 14 for the Huskers.

Combs and Koch had 18 points apiece for the Hawkeyes, who committed 19 turnovers.