The long wait is over — Ball State's 90th Homecoming Court has been set.
Over 4,000 votes were submitted, nominating 78 Ball State students to be the next King and Queen. On Sept. 27, the top twenty students in each category with the most votes were invited to the 2016 Royalty Reveal at Prius Hall.
During this year's themed fashion show, “Blast From the Past,” contestants and potential members of the Homecoming Court were required to dress up in coordinating costumes and walk across the stage. This was the homecoming committee's first time doing a live reveal show since 2014, something Royalty Chair Lexi Williams said she was happy to help bring back.
“The royalty fashion show has actually been a tradition for so many years,” Williams said. “I kind of wanted to bring the royalty fashion show back because I thought that was something that people can actually go to and it's also something that every single candidate can go to.”
The costumes included throwbacks ranging from a caveman and cavewoman to Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.
Before the naming of the Homecoming Court, contestants' outfits were ranked based off of the crowd’s applause. While the contest was not related to the naming of the Homecoming Court itself, the winners were awarded with miniature plaques.
Chris Sommers and Jessi MacNulty from the Association of Collegiate A Cappella won the contest with their literal throwback costume of caveman and cavewoman costumes. Junior psychology major Megan Todd came in second place in the costume contest with her portrayal of Wednesday Addams from "The Addams Family."
“It was definitely unexpected because there was a lot of great costumes for the throwback theme,” Todd said. “We originally wanted to do Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears with the denim from the 2001 VMAs, but that was already taken and this just happened to be our second choice because 'The Addams Family' was one of my favorite movies growing up.”
At the end of the show, the final top ten candidates for both King and Queen were announced and given roses.
Those selected will attend a list of homecoming activities that will determine who will be the next Homecoming King and Queen of Ball State. The activities include interviews with Ball State students and alumni and a dinner hosted in their honor.
Senior telecommunications major Jacob Logeman made it into the top ten as a part of Ball State Dance Marathon and said he was exited for what comes next.
“I mean, it's been a lot of fun,” Logeman said. “We put together a little campaign to get people to vote for us and then we worked on our costumes together and just had a lot of fun.”
Matt King, the chair of the Homecoming Committee, said the upcoming interviews are what will mainly determine who will be awarded the crown.
“The voting narrows down the top ten on both sides,” King said. “We look at their interview skills, their pose — it's more about who they are now.”
The Homecoming King Candidates:
Mitch Prather, Exercise Science Club
Fun fact: Prather was a part of a crew on a boat in the Bahamas for one week.
Jacob Logeman, Dance Marathon
Fun fact: Logeman is the oldest of three boys in his family.
Lafayette Jordan, Student Government Association
Fun fact: Jordan is the distant cousin of actress Vivica Fox.
Lee Bard, Epsilon Sigma Alpha
Fun fact: Bard is huge fan of Pixar Movies
Ford Johnson, Chi Omega
Fun fact: Members in Johnson's Family are named after cars.
James Wells, Lambda Chi Alpha
Fun fact: Wells has a twin.
Jacob Germann, National Residence Hall Honorary
Fun Fact: One of Germann’s kidneys erupted, now leaving him with only one.
Nnamdi Anene, Black Student Association
Fun fact: Anene has been to five different countries.
Jacob Stallard, College Mentors for Kids
Fun fact: In order to ask a girl to prom, Stallard learned how to knit by watching YouTube videos.
Malik Ojuri, Alpha Tau Omega
Fun fact: To pump himself up, Ojuri listens to Kanye West before every interview or important meeting.
The Homecoming Queen Candidates:
Paige Fransen, Alpha Omicron Pi
Fun fact: Fransen once set foot on the Country Music Award red carpet.
Missy Giammichele, Code Red
Fun fact: Giammichele has been dancing since the age of five.
Dayna Arnett, Ball State Speech Team
Fun fact: Arnett has been a public speaker since the age of 10.
Beth Endsley, Lambda Chi Alpha
Fun fact: Endsley owns a Christmas sweeter for every day of December.
Destinee Burrell, Alpha Phi Omega
Fun fact: Burrell is a black belt in karate.
Jessi MacNulty, Association of Collegiate A Cappella.
Fun fact: Macnulty is able to name all of the U.S. presidents in one single breath.
Samantha Johnson, Delta Zeta
Fun fact: Johnson is a self-proclaimed football fanatic.
Chanel McClay, University Programming Board
Fun fact: McClay has never flown on a plane before.
Imani Woodson, Black Student Association
Fun fact: Woodson is not a big fan of people touching her chin.
Jessica Love, Chi Omega
Fun fact: Love worked as a resident camp counselor for the past three summers at Camp Tecumseh.