Students, alumni gather for festivities in Robins Stadium

Will Gordon and Jasmine Garrett were crowned homecoming king and queen on Sat., Oct. 22, during halftime at the football game against the University of Maine. This year, 16 students competed for the two titles, including 10 women and six men.

Joey Greener, vice president of campus relations on the Campus Activities Board, said that 750 people had voted this year, an increase from previous years, which typically only drew a few hundred votes.

The other members of the court included: Matt Sobel, Allison Miller, Brittany Brady, Anthony Marino, Brittany Kneidinger, Daniela Varona, Lukas Heymich, Ryan Pierce, Laura Bailey, Jessie Kelly, Caitlin Harman, Chelsea Shrader, Erich Mueller, and Alexandrea Holcombe.

As recent graduates filed into Robins Stadium to watch the game, the nominees for homecoming king and queen awaited the announcement. Garrett said she had been extremely nervous as she waited for halftime to find out whether she would be the next homecoming queen.

"All of my friends were telling me to not be upset if I didn't get it," Garrett said.Garrett was in shock when her name was announced over the loudspeaker at halftime, she said. "I was speechless!" she said.

Gordon said he had been excited to have been nominated by Richmond College Student Government Association and thought that riding around in the golf carts in the parade held just before the game through the tailgating

This year was the first time the University used golf carts to transport the court past tailgaters and onto the football field, said Alison Keller, director of Greek life.

"We had a great number of organizations participate this year," she said. "And we also had events going on every day of the week.

"Our goal was to generate more spirit and to get more people involved and engaged. And I think without question that it was achieved. People loved the golf carts and they loved the parade."

Senior Alexandrea Holcombe said that some of the alumni were impressed by the golf carts. She said that people gave them high fives, as they drove through the tailgating lots.

Holcombe was nominated for homecoming queen by here her sorority Kappa Alpha Theta and later voted on by the school to be placed on the homecoming court, she said.

"It was a very fun experience to be on the court," Holcombe said, "especially since I didn't have anything like this in high school."

Another member of the homecoming court, Lukas Heymich, said that being a part of the court was an exceptionally wonderful experience and that it was a pleasure to be one of the nominees.

"There is no such thing as homecoming in Austria, where I was born and raised," Heymich said. "It was great to see all the enthusiasm and delight among students and alumni."

Contact reporter Catherine Crystal at catherine.crystal@richmond.edu.