Homecoming royalty to be crowned at Pioneers game Saturday

PLAINVIEW, TX — Wayland Baptist University’s 2024 Homecoming king and queen will be crowned Saturday at the Pioneers basketball game.

During the Homecoming chapel service at 11 a.m. Friday, five candidates for queen and two candidates for king will be presented with students given an opportunity to use a projected QR codes to vote for their favorites. Along with presentation of the Homecoming court, the king and queen will be crowned during halftime festivities of the men’s basketball game, which tips off at 4 p.m. in Hutcherson Center.

Here are the five candidates for Homecoming queen:

• Gwen Phillips is a junior English major from Brownwood. She is sponsored by the English Department and will be escorted by her brother, Ivan Phillips.
• Aubrey Jaramillo is a junior Sociology major from Clarendon. Serving as a Presidents Ambassador, she is sponsored by that group. She will be escorted by her father, Joe Jaramillo.
• Alexis Shedd is a senior Elementary Education major from Plainview. She is sponsored by the Don A. Williams School of Education and will be escorted by Jeffrey Lucido.
• Celeste Lazano is a senior Biology major from Christoval. She is sponsored by Wayland Track and Field and will be escorted by her father, Petey Lozano.
• JoNiesha Kennedy is a senior Political Science major from Shreveport, La. She is sponsored by Wayland Office of Alumni Affairs.

Here are the two candidates for Homecoming king:

• David Snellgrove is a junior Political Science major from Plainview. He is sponsored by the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and will be escorted by his mother, Julie Snellgrove.
• Dylan Jerden is a senior Life Science Education major from New Deal. He is sponsored by the Don A. Williams School of Education and will be escorted by his wife, Kaitlyn Jerden.

The king and queen will be crowned during halftime festivities of to the second game of Wayland’s afternoon doubleheader with University of Science and Arts – Oklahoma at Hutcherson Center. The Flying Queen play at 2 p.m. with the Pioneers taking the court at 4 p.m. The coronation comes at the midpoint of the men’s game.

Wayland’s Homecoming began Wednesday evening and continues through Saturday on the university’s Plainview campus. A variety of events are part of the celebration.