Homecoming royalty crowned

IU seniors Luke Fields and Sara Stombaugh were named Homecoming king and queen Saturday at the Homecoming football game.

The announcement was supposed to be made at the pep rally Friday, but the rally was canceled due to rain.

Stombaugh said she was disappointed she didn’t get to go to the pep rally, saying she wished she could have met the other members of the court. The members met at a luncheon before the game, but Stombaugh said she wished they all could have gotten to know each other better.

But she said she enjoyed the honor of being named the queen. After the announcement, people were shouting her and Fields’ names.

“It was all surreal,” Stombaugh said.

Fields said it was quite an honor to be named – he said he never thought he’d be “that guy.” But, he added, that’s what’s great about IU. He said he’s constantly amazed by the opportunities and new experiences at the University.

He said the king and queen contest was a way to recognize seniors who gave back to the University. It isn’t exactly based on popularity.

To be eligible to win, the king and queen must be seniors with GPAs above a 3.0. According to the contest application, the Homecoming court, consisting of five men and five women, are selected and judged on campus involvement, leadership qualities, scholarship, personality and poise.

Fields said with so many strong candidates, the contest is a testament to the current senior class. 

Stombaugh is the president of the IU Panhellenic Association, member of the Student Activities Ethics Board and a member of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Fields is the president of the IU Student Association and former vice president of Residence Hall Association. He also owns his own small business.

Both king and queen said their parents came to the game and took them out to eat.
Fields’ roommate Dan Sloat, who is vice president of IUSA, was also on the Homecoming court.

He said he wondered if there had ever been roommates who were on the court together. Though he wasn’t crowned king, he is still proud of Fields.
“It was definitely an honor to be recognized among all those student leaders,” Sloat said.