No place like home

The 2010 homecoming king Ife Adetoro watche the 2009 homecoming queen Chelsea Lyttaker crown 2010 queen Yesenia Lugo on Saturday after the womens soccer game against the Univerisity of Texas at Dallas. Photo by Richard Sarmiento

Students elected Ife Adetoro and Yesenia Lugo as the University's 2010 Homecoming King and Queen, following the women's soccer game Saturday.
"I thought Sara (Khalifa) was going to win," said Lugo. "Whatever the University calls me to do, I will do all my power to perform those duties."

"I will definitely represent UT Tyler well," Adetoro said.

The men's soccer game made it to half-time before being delayed due to a severe weather warning.

The scheduled outdoor concert to end homecoming festivities was cancelled because of the weather.

"The severe weather was coming in and the police had us all go in the gym," Eric Meeks, drummer for Bailey Grey, said. "We put tarps over all of the equipment thinking it was just rain, but the roof collapsed, and now we're trying to salvage our equipment."

Meeks said some of the equipment might not be salvageable.

Patriot Idol
Music filled the University Center Ballroom on Thursday, as finalists competed for the top prize in Patriot Idol. Jasmin Hale, a sophomore English major, came out on top for her performance of "No One," by Alicia Keys.

Hale, who sang while playing piano, said she was in disbelief when the judges called her name.

"It was so surreal. I just couldn't believe it," she said.

Recording artist Bailey Grey, who was scheduled to perform at the Suddenlink and UT Tyler Concert on the Boulevard, served as a guest judge and played a three-song set while the winner was determined.

"The most exciting part was getting to hear vocalists that aren't tuned," she said. "There is so much talent here."

T.J. Chapman and Caleb Shreve finished second and third, respectively.

Baseball Game
University students beat faculty and staff by 14 runs in the Faculty/Staff vs. Students/Alumni Baseball game Friday.

The game, which ended with a score of 20-6, followed a tailgate party at the Baseball and Softball Complex.

"I played to just enjoy the comradery with faculty and other people," said Greg Mekalip, a financial services employee who has been with the University for 13 years. (Homecoming) is great for the school. It gets a lot of students involved."

Midnight Breakfast
More than 200 students attended the Student Government Association Midnight Breakfast in the Met on Friday night.

"People are having a good time," Kevin Murray, a senior management major, said. "It's cool to see school events bring people together."

Toby Wilkerson, University Pines Apartment marketing director, rides in the homecoming Golf Cart Parade on Saturday. UPines cart was decorated like a Black Hawk helicopter in honor of the troops returning home. Photo by Ryan Pinkham

Golf Cart Parade
"Welcome Home Again" was the theme for the Golf Cart Parade on Saturday. The competition, which showcased the golf cart decorating abilities of student organizations, judged participants based on the most creative design.

Alpha Chi Omega, whose members built a "Wizard of Oz" cart, came in first, followed by the Association of Childhood Education International and BetaBetaBeta Honor Society.

"Everyone pitched in to help," Cody Dunn, an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member, said.

University Pines residents built a Blackhawk-helicopter-inspired cart, on what they said was a "$0 budget."

Contributing Writers: Jacob Bremer, Clay Ihlo, Ryan Pinkham, Brandy Borque