The UNA Homecoming 2026 Parade Route will begin on Pine Street.

UNA Announces 2026 Homecoming Award Winners

Jul. 29, 2026



Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – The University of North Alabama has announced this year’s Homecoming Award winners for this year’s celebration, the first to take place at Bank Independent Stadium scheduled for Oct. 23-24. The winners will be recognized at the Homecoming Celebration set to take place in the Victory Club Level of the Stadium.

“We’re very excited to celebrate this year’s Homecoming Award winners, especially in our newly opened Bank Independent Stadium,” said Barbie Terry, Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. “This year’s Homecoming will be an exceptional weekend! The celebration is Friday night and Saturday will be full of first-of-their-kind experiences that we can’t wait to share with our winners, alumni, and friends.”

This year’s Homecoming Award recipients are:

  • Lifetime Achievement: Johnny Simpson ’90 ’95, of Florence, is the owner of Simpson’s Collision Repair and Wrecker Service, a fourth-generation family business. For more than 30 years, Simpson has been a steadfast supporter of the University of North Alabama. He has served as an active member and past president of the North Alabama Lions Athletic Club and is now serving on the UNA Foundation Board, helping advance the university’s mission through leadership, advocacy, and philanthropy.
  • Alumna of the Year: Deanna Ritchie Tidwell ’96 ’03, of Florence, is a nationally recognized advocate for victims of crime, with a career spanning more than three decades of service to the people of Alabama. As a first-generation college graduate, Deanna is deeply committed to UNA. She mentors students in counseling and social work, serves as the President of the Greater Shoals Area Alumni Chapter, and continues to inspire others through her unwavering commitment to resilience, service, and transformational leadership.
  • Friend of the University: Town and Gown Workgroup is a collaborative partnership comprised of representatives from both UNA and the City of Florence and united by a shared commitment to strengthening the relationship between the university and the broader community. Through innovation, collaboration, and service, the Town and Gown Workgroup has developed lasting relationships, expanded opportunities for community engagement, and enhanced the University of North Alabama’s impact throughout the Shoals.
  • Young Alumnus of the Year: Hugo Dante Jr., ’18, of Arlington, Va., has built a career that reflects exceptional leadership, academic excellence, and a steadfast commitment to public service. As a respected economist and public servant, he exemplifies UNA’s values of excellence, lifelong learning, service, and leadership. Dante’s accomplishments on the national stage reflect the transformative impact of a UNA education and make him a distinguished ambassador for his alma mater.

The Homecoming Alumni and Friends Celebration is sponsored by the Florence-Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. In addition to this event, a host of other Homecoming activities are scheduled for the weekend, including the annual Homecoming Parade, which is set for Oct. 24 at 11:30 a.m. Parade registration is at this link. Tickets to the Alumni and Friends Celebration are on sale and available at this link.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I and United Athletic conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/.