Eight-hundred students gathered at the Multi-Purpose Activity Center (MAC) on Oct. 18 to show their school spirit at the University pep rally.
Like all pep rallies, contests were held, cheerleaders cheered, the pep band played, and most importantly the names of the Homecoming Court were announced.
Ashley McMahon, the Student Government Association (SGA) Homecoming Chair, announced the court. The 2013 freshman lord and lady were called first. Lord was Christopher Chinn, and lady was Kaylie Mazza. For the sophomores, Michael Qualiano was announced as duke and Jennifer Lee as duchess. The junior prince and princess were Thomas Beaufort and Jackie Leming.
The senior king and queen names were scheduled to be made public during the Homecoming game the following day. However, the top three kings and queens were introduced during the pep rally. Michael Migliaro, Michael Kumar and Lorenzo Russomanno were named the top three king candidates. Ashley Pacifico, Eva Rosamilia and Megan Van Tine were named the top three queen candidates.
Jennifer Lee, sophomore duchess and biology major, said, “It’s so great to see all of Monmouth come together to support our football team and celebrate Homecoming … to be announced as duchess was such an honor.”
Michael Qualiano, psychology major, said he felt great being chosen as duke and thinks that Homecoming overall was a success. “Monmouth did a great job with Homecoming this year. It was great to have all of the organizations together with hawk spirit.” Qualiano added that he is very happy for all of the winners.
The Homecoming Court introductions were only a few minutes of the hour-long event. All seniors on the football team, the cheerleading team, the dance team, and the pep band were also recognized. Opening the event was a performance by the cheerleaders, dancers and band. The cheerleaders were dressed in “Monmouth Through the Ages” uniforms to represent this year’s Homecoming theme.
These groups were not the only one’s pumping up the crowd, the announcer, more commonly known as “Showboat,” held contests and gave away prizes to raffle winners.
The contests included a skills test and a basketball tournament. During the skills test, four members of the audience, two men and two women, were selected to test their skills by doing pushups. Showboat had the men do pushups with the women on their backs.
The basketball tournament had two men and two women as well, competing to make a shot before the other. The winners of these contests won a $25 gift certificate to The Draft House in Long Branch.
As for the Greek Life in the audience, a banner competition was held to see which fraternity and sorority created the best banner. The winner of the banner competition was also announced at the Homecoming game the next day.
McMahon expressed her satisfaction with the event and Homecoming, “Planning Homecoming was extremely rewarding and I am so glad that I was able to help create a great experience for everyone throughout the weekend.”
Raquel Warehime, junior psychology major, enjoyed the event. “The pep rally was actually more fun than I expected. I enjoyed how they had a lot of crowd involvement that kept people entertained throughout the entirety of it.”
Those who attended the pep rally received beaded football necklaces and their choice of a Homecoming t-shirt. The pep rally kicked off the University’s Homecoming weekend; for more information about homecoming, read below.
PHOTO COURTESY of Joseph Morrell
