Two students died in a shooting on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, Nicholls’ opponent for Saturday’s Homecoming football game. The UCA Bears head football coach, Clint Conque is a 1982 Nicholls alumnus. In a phone interview with The Daily Comet Conque said, “It is numbing and senseless.”

Eugene Dial, vice president of student affairs and enrollment services, said the University examined this year’s Homecoming theme, “Nightmare in Colonel Country,” after the shooting at UCA.

“This is a Halloween theme centered around Nicholls,” Dial said.

According to Dial, the University did not find any Homecoming displays inappropriate and will leave decisions to take down a display with the individual student organization.

“We want to be respectful,” Dial said. “We want to be sensitive.”

The University will observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the shooting victims before the start of Saturday’s football game, Dial said.

The Nicholls Alumni Federation received permission from UCA to purchase the UCA memorial ribbon stickers, Deborah Raziano, director of alumni affairs, said. The stickers will be distributed at the alumni Homecoming brunch Saturday at 11 a.m. and at John L. Guidry Stadium before the game.