ASHLEY DAY
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Saturday, Oct. 1, the Homecoming Committee crowned CSUSM’s first Homecoming King and Queen, but the runner-up for king, Kenneth LaLonde, took the crown.

The student body voted Adam Hayes, one of the top three contestants, as 2011’s Homecoming King.

According to CSUSM’s 2011 homecoming court webpage, “The official crowning of CSUSM’s first Homecoming King and Queen will take place at the Homecoming Game on Saturday, Oct. 1 around 1:45 p.m.” The page has not been updated since the winners were crowned.

“I showed up at 1:33 p.m.,” Hayes said, when asked if he came to the Homecoming Game late. “There was never any time stated when the announcement would be made. [There was] only an email sent out stating the arrival time,” which was 1:30 p.m., according to Hayes.

“The Homecoming Court had been instructed to meet for the presentation and announcement at 1:30. Unfortunately, Adam was not there to fulfill his obligation and after waiting for 10 minutes the decision was made to crown the runner-up,” Coordinator of Student Involvement Joshua Galeai said on behalf of the University and Homecoming Committee.

Instead of crowning Hayes as CSUSM’s 2011 Homecoming King, the Homecoming Committee made the choice to crown LaLonde.

Galeai continued, “We understand Adam’s disappointment. In making the decision, the Homecoming Committee members felt it was important to crown a king at the event and with only a minimal difference (18.9 percent to 18.5 percent of the vote), it was decided to crown the runner-up.”

“I did not hear my name, so I have no clue if [my name] was even announced,” Hayes said.

When asked if he heard La- Londe’s name called, Hayes continued, “I did hear his name being called as the winner…the rightful winner. That’s when I looked at my watch.”

The Homecoming Committee never announced that Hayes came in first place to the crowd. A friend notified Hayes that he was the students’ top vote.

“[LaLonde] was telling people he was not the rightful owner [of the title],” Hayes responded, when asked how he came to find out he was the student body’s first choice. The Homecoming Committee never informed Hayes of his placement in the Homecoming Court.

“Once [the Homecoming Committee] knew that I had found out, they wanted to know how I found out, which is irrelevant,” Hayes said.

Hayes also did not understand why he was not allowed to take his place as Homecoming King when another contestant running for Homecoming Queen was not present at the Sept. 29 Cougar- Fest announcement for the top three Homecoming Court candidates.

“Stacey Hildebrand wasn’t present during the nomination announcement, and her spot was still preserved for Saturday, Oct. 1, where she was to receive her sash,” Hayes said.

Still, the Homecoming Committee chose not to renounce LaLonde’s title as 2011’s Homecoming King.

“With the program time constraints and the information available, the best decision possible was made,” Galeai said.

Photo by Morgan Hall