To top off homecoming celebrations this week, Bennett Cate '23 and Michelly Pereira '23 were crowned respectively Homecoming king and queen during halftime at the football game Saturday.
Cate of Lambda Chi Alpha is a familiar face on campus as the lone male member of the cheerleading team, and his appointment to the court Friday night was met with cheers from the student body as he was lifted on the shoulders of his fraternity brothers. He serves as an ambassador for Opportunity Scholars, a program through the U.S.Department of Education that helps students achieve successful completion of their college degrees.
"It is my hope that I have made your college experience a little bit better," Cate said in an Instagram post announcing his candidacy.
Pereira of Phi Mu is also involved on campus as a Peer Advisor and Executive Vice President and Director of Philanthropy on the Mercer Panhellenic Council. She was the first member of the court to be announced Friday night and was sure to share congratulations with each candidate as they joined her.
"Mercer has shaped me into the person I am today by pushing me to discover my passions and preparing me for my future endeavors," she said in her Instagram post announcing her candidacy. "No words will ever be able to explain how grateful I am for Mercer University and the impact it has made on me."
The court was composed of eight members who were voted on by the student body after their interviews with Mercer staff members.
Read more: 2022 Homecoming Court announced after record-breaking student vote turnout
The final candidates for king consisted of Bennett Cate (Lambda Chi Alpha), Matt Encarnacion (Student Government Association), Jack Grimsley (Alpha Tau Omega) and Justin Henry (Caribbean Student Association).
The final candidates for queen were Abigail Yemisrach (Student Government Association), Amerila Junod (Chi Omega), Ashton Mayo-Beavers (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.) and Michelly Pereira (Phi Mu).
The QuadWorks Homecoming Week competition winners were also announced during halftime. Throughout the week, there were several events that teams attended and participated in to earn points.
In the large group, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Pi Kappa Phi, Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society and the Mercer Players were crowned first.
Phi Mu and Alpha Tau Omega were awarded second place, and Alpha Delta Pi, Kappa Alpha Order and Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc. were third.
For the medium group, Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), Wesley of Macon and Agape won first place. Residence Hall Association (RHA) and Student Government Association (SGA) won second, and Back to Black won third. Uncontested for first place in the small group was the Mercer Music and Lyrics Club.
Read more: Annual Homecoming Lip Sync Competition lively as ever despite weather
Mary Helene Hall ‘23 is a journalism and women’s and gender studies student who has worked for The Cluster throughout her time at Mercer. She has held internships at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and AL.com, where she covered a variety of topics including politics, crime and culture.
