WKU News

The 2022 Coming Home King was Reed Breunig (center); first runner-up was Matthew Brown (right); second runner-up was Justin Smith Jr. (left). The 2023 Coming Home King will be crowned on February 25.

Twenty-three Western Kentucky University students are candidates for the 2023 Coming Home King.

Candidates will participate in numerous activities next week, including an interview on Tuesday (February 21), a volunteer project at BRASS on Thursday (February 23), and a dinner celebration on Saturday (February 25). The king will be crowned Saturday (February 25) during halftime of Hilltopper Basketball’s game vs. UAB. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at Diddle Arena.

WKU students will cast their votes for the Coming Home King on Monday (February 20) via TopNet.

The 2023 Coming Home King Candidates are:

• Cole Bornefeld of Hendersonville, Tennessee, the son of Phillip and Kelly Bornefeld. He is a Public Relations and Political Science major and is sponsored by Student Government Association. 
• Johnnie Boswell of Bowling Green, the son of Mike and Jana Boswell. He is a Political Science and Economics major and is sponsored by Potter College of Arts & Letters Dean’s Councils of Students. 
• Jakob Briggs of Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Tyrus and Marina Briggs. He is a Business Economics major sponsored by Alpha Gamma Delta. 
• Matthew Brown of Shepherdsville, the son of Ross and Marla Brown. He is a Political Science and History major with a minor in English and is sponsored by WKU Spirit Master’s. 
• Adan Canizalez of Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Adan and Erica Canizalez. He is a Biology major with a minor in Psychology and is sponsored by Omega Phi Alpha. 
• Cole Chickedantz of Evansville, Indiana, the son of Mike and Kelli Chickedantz. He is a Marketing major with an emphasis in Sales and is sponsored by FarmHouse Fraternity. 
• Colin Craig of Petersburg, Indiana, the son of Jon and Cassi Craig. He is a Broadcasting major with a minor in Communication Studies and is sponsored by Delta Tau Delta, CRU, and Extra Point. 
• Nate Davis of Richmond, the son of Rodney and Kim Davis. He is an Accounting major and is sponsored by Phi Delta Theta. 
• Trent Edmunds of Bowling Green, the son of Gary and Sherrie Edmunds. He is a Strategic Marketing major with a minor in Sales and is sponsored by Alpha Delta Pi. 
• Matthew Gadd of Louisville, the son of Rick and Monica Gadd. He is a Public Relations major with a minor in Sales and is sponsored by Chi Omega. 
• Jacob Grothe of Bowling Green, the son of Greg and Julia Grothe. He is a Sports Management major with a certificate in Data Analytics and is sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon. 
• Jacob Robert Kane Guminski of Lancaster, the son of Rebecca Guminski and Ali Mihankhah. He is a Social Studies and History and is sponsored by Delta Zeta.
• Tramaine Hawkins of Hopkinsville, the son of Jermaine and Terra Hawkins. He is a Healthcare Administration major with a minor in Business Administration and is sponsored by Phi Mu. 
• Will Hemenover of Wilmore, the son of Brian and Jerri Hemenover. He is a Biology and Environmental, Sustainability, and Geographic Studies major and is sponsored by HonorsToppers. 
• Tyler “Fluff” Olden of Scottsdale, Arizona, the son of Bryan and Ellen Olden. He is a Sports Management major with a minor in Business Administration and is sponsored by Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 
• Paul Padden of Marshfield, Massachusetts, the son of Paul and Ann Padden. He is a Marketing major and is sponsored by Baptist Campus Ministry. 
• Sam Clark of St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Tom and Kim Clark. He is an Accounting major and is sponsored by Lambda Chi Alpha. 
• Preston Romanov of Louisville, the son of Andre and Lana Romanov. He is a Public Relations major with a minor in Photojournalism and Political Science and is sponsored by Order of Omega. 
• Mason Rye of Hopkinsville, the son of David and Jennifer Rye. He is an Exercise Science Major and is sponsored by Kappa Delta. 
• JT Schaefer of Walton, the son of Jay and Tracy Schaefer. He is a Finance major and International Business minor and is sponsored by Kappa Sigma. 
• Zach Sessler of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, the son of Ken and Michelle Sessler. He is a Finance major and is sponsored by Sigma Kappa. 
• Harrison Snyder of Louisville, the son of Mark and Dee Snyder. He is a Broadcasting major and Digital Advertising minor and is sponsored by Alpha Omicron Pi and Sigma Chi. 
• Avery Wells of Louisville, the son of Andre and Antissa Wells. He is a Political Science major and African American Studies minor and is sponsored by National Pan-Hellenic Council and Alpha Xi Delta. 

Contact: Student Activities, (270) 745-2459

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.