Overcome with excitement and nerves, Ball State University's new Homecoming king's crown slipped through his sweaty palms, breaking off a jewel.
Junior William Garnes was crowned Thursday night at Air Jam, something he said he never thought would happen.
"I told my mom I'm not going to win so don't even worry about it," he said. "Just go ahead and stay home."
Garnes said he didn't expect to even make the top 10 royalty candidates, let alone become king.
The youngest of three brothers, Garnes started his Homecoming journey last spring when his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, wanted one of its brothers to go for the title. Garnes said he decided to run without putting too much thought into it.
"Over the summer, I didn't really think about it all that much," he said. "I didn't really start thinking about it until it came around the time for Homecoming."
Garnes, an earth science major, came to Ball State because of the atmosphere of the campus and good financial aid options. He said he originally came to Ball State as a business administration major, but decided to change majors during his sophomore year when he took a geology class.
"I want to work for a natural resources company of some type," Garnes said. "I'd like to figure out ways to make natural resources more renewable and find better deposits of natural resources."
Garnes is vice president of Ball State's Alpha Phi Alpha chapter. In addition, Garnes is a member of the Black Student Association.
After being crowned, Garnes received numerous congratulatory phone calls and text messages. Then he had to go back to his room and study for a mineralogy test.
"It was great to win [Homecoming king] and have Alpha Phi Alpha's name on it," he said. "I feel like whenever one of us wins or accomplishes something, it's like collectively we all get to share that glory and bask in it."
Garnes said he will do his best to represent Ball State and his organization.
"I'm humbled and flattered by the whole experience," Garnes said. "Ball State keeps on giving me more and more as a student and as a human being."
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