October 14, 2016

Ten vying to become homecoming queen, king

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Homecoming 2016 celebration is Oct. 16-23 and 10 students are serving in this year’s court and vying to become the king and queen.

Students will vote online from 8 a.m. Oct. 17 through 8 a.m. Oct. 20. The coronation will take place at halftime of the football game. The Salukis will host the Indiana State University Sycamores at 2 p.m. on Oct. 22 in Saluki Stadium.

The 2016 SIU homecoming queen candidates, in alphabetical order with their year, hometown and major, are:

  • Peyton Gehrs, a senior agricultural systems and education major from Highland.
  • Nicole Hanke, a senior civil engineering student from Carlyle.
  • Beryl Span, a senior criminal justice major with a minor in sociology from Chicago.
  • Naomi Tolbert, a junior political science and international studies major from Carbondale.
  • Rose Weisenstein, a senior nutrition and dietetics major from Belleville.

This year’s king candidates are:

  • Rudy Bacette, a senior psychology major with a minor in communication studies from Evanston.
  • Kenneth Hiemer, a senior history education major from Frankfort.
  • Jermaine D. Hughes Jr., a senior criminology and criminal justice major from Richton Park.
  • Philip Kains, a senior mathematics major from Springfield.
  • Orlando Toatley, a senior radio, television and digital media major with a speech communications minor from St. Louis.

A Saluki State of Mind is the theme for this year’s festivities. Check out the complete homecoming schedule and find more information online at www.homecoming.siu.edu.