Tingxuan Lu
Moira Pyle, senior marketing major, and Wyatt Sander, senior health promotion major, were named the 2017 homecoming royalty. They will return next year to crown the 2018 homecoming royalty.
Moira Pyle, senior marketing major, and Wyatt Sander, senior health promotion major, were named the 2017 Homecoming Queen and King. The royalty candidates were voted on by ESU’s student body and recognized Saturday at halftime of the Homecoming football game.
“I was shocked honestly,” Sander said. “I knew all the candidates had an equal opportunity to win. I wasn’t quite sure if I heard the announcer right because I was in shock.”
Pyle said she was also surprised that she received the honor.
“I was so excited,” Pyle said. “It was surprising to hear my name announced, but I was very happy. It was an awesome experience and I’m very glad I had the opportunity to share it with my friends and family.”
The nominations were announced early during Homecoming week and voting began Nov. 1 for the King and Queen.
Students across campus could fill out an online survey to vote for their chosen candidate, voting for whom they believed to best represent ESU as Homecoming royalty, which was then combined with scores from judges who conducted interviews for each candidate.
“I was very excited to be notified (that I was in the running for Homecoming Queen),” Pyle said “The group of students that were nominated and selected to be a candidate are amazing individuals and it was such a humbling experience to receive the news.”
All candidates were required to attend various Homecoming events during the week after the application and interview process, including a Meet & Greet in the Main Street of the Memorial Union, the Homecoming Bonfire and Yell like Hell competition at Wilson Park and the Homecoming parade on Saturday morning.
“The process was a whole learning experience,” Sander said. “I got to interact with other students that I normally don’t get to interact with at school. I practically live in the HPER building so it was nice to see other people who are not in my major classes and learn about them.”
“Sander (and Pyle) are both good representatives of Emporia State University,” said Clara Eliert, freshman elementary education major.
The previous Homecoming King and Queen, Tyler Huddleston and Kate Dorian, presented the crown and tiara to the winning candidates. Pyle and Sander will be asked to return to campus next year as well to crown the 2018 Homecoming King and Queen.