December 2025
Celebrating the gift of all this good news.
Highlights
Volleyball Is #1...And Not Just In Our Hearts
Cue the Queen because we are the champions! The Heartland volleyball team secured the program’s first National Championship with a win over Kansas City Community College in the championship game of the NJCAA DII National Tournament on November 22. The win bests last year’s 3rd place finish. In addition to the team win, setter Brooklyn Brennan was named Player of the Tournament and Coach Mary Frahm was named Most Valuable Coach at the Tournament. The National Championship caps off a stellar season in which the Hawks went 40-4 for the season and were undefeated at home and in conference play. Way to go ladies! May we suggest asking for a new jewelry box for the holidays? You’re going to need somewhere to keep those championship rings.
Women's Soccer Hawks Go National
The volleyball team wasn’t the only Hawk sports squad making a name for themselves at the national level. The women’s soccer team capped off their impressive season with a trip to the NJCAA DII National Tournament, and all the way to the title game, before falling to Northeast Mississippi Community College 2-1. It was a nailbiter of a game, with the score tied until NMCC went up a score with only 2 minutes left in the game. Hawks winger Valeria Agudelo was named Offensive Player of the Tournament. The Hawks ended their season with a record of 17-4-1 and outscored their opponents 106 goals to their 15. Now that’s a season to be proud of!
Fall Sports Round-Up
While the volleyball and women’s soccer teams might have produced the biggest headlines this fall, they weren’t the only ones to have great seasons. The Esports program had two teams in Tier 1 seeded #1 in their national competitions. The Rocket League 3v3 and Super Smash Bros teams are looking to make waves there this month.
The men’s cross country team finished seventh at the national meet in Ft. Dodge, Iowa last month. Aiden Lee was the team’s top finisher at 14th, earning him All-American honors.
Service Is Her Style
Athletes aren’t the only ones getting some attention this fall. Ella Brownlee was nominated for the Why I See You (YICU) Service Awards from the For A Better Tomorrow organization. The awards recognize youth leadership and service in the community. The organization “collaborates with community partners to give special recognition to young adults who have made their mark on our community.” Brownlee is one of 32 youths from McLean County nominated for the award.
Night Hawks Get Early Holiday Gift
It’s gift giving season and the Child Development lab must have been very good. The CDL recently received a $500 donation for the Night Hawks program from the Valley of Bloomington Scottish Rite. The gift will support the Holiday Stop & Shop, an initiative designed to provide low-income student families with the opportunity to select holiday gifts for their children at no cost. It will help ensure that every child has something to open this season. Now that's a heartwarming story!
When Reading Hawkfeed Just Isn't Enough
It won’t be long before the semester is in the rear view, and we all get some much-deserved time off from work. What better way to fill some of that time than to curl up with a good book? If you’d like to escape the reality of preparing for your own holiday celebrations, the HCC library has a variety of holiday reads that pair well with a cozy blanket and a hot beverage. It’s definitely more fun than moving that annoying elf.
Alert Me!
Winter weather came early this year, and though we haven't had a winter closure yet, one can still hope. Don't you want to know right away when that happens so you can go back to sleep? Good news - you can be among the first to know when a closure hits Heartland by signing up for emergency text alerts. If Mother Nature is listening, a good day off would really hit well sometime in February. Just sayin'.
Still to come...
College Closures
- Wednesday, December 24-Thursday, January 1 for winter break
- Monday, January 19 in Observance of MLK Jr. Day
Spring Kickoff/Campus Conversation
- Friday, January 30
- More info to come
Random Knowledge to Make You Just a Little Smarter
A butt is a real unit of measurement for a cask of wine. A buttload is about 108 Imperial gallons. So if I tell you to have a “buttload” of fun over break, you’ll never know if it’s hyperbole or me encouraging you to indulge in a festive drink...or two. And on the topic of break...
Hawkfeed Holiday Hiatus
With that, the Fall 2025 semester is a wrap. Speaking of that, your favorite Hawkfeed editor has lots of wrapping - and unwrapping - to do so Hawkfeed will be taking a brief hiatus. But don't fret, it will be back in February with a wingspan's worth of news to share.
Let's Get Social
That's all for now. In the meantime, check out our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn for the latest happenings. Spread the love and share our stuff on your own pages.