By the close of the first half of Saturday’s Homecoming game, the score was 10-7 NU. The Homecoming Court strutted onto Parsons Field to find out who would be crowned this year’s king and queen for the “Around the World” themed homecoming.
Junior Meagan Longley and Senior Jeff Riley won the honors.
“Ever since I was a young lad growing up in Pawling, N.Y., I hoped that one day I would be blessed with the title Homecoming King of Northeastern University. On Saturday, my dream finally came true,” said Riley. “[I was] impressed with the quality of the craftmanship on both the crowns and the sashes stowed upon us.”
On the contrary, Longley said it wasn’t something she had ever really thought about.
“When my group [Student Ambassadors] nominated me, I was just really honored. From then on, I had such a positive attitude about it and made a decision that if I was going to run for this, I mean really run for this, then I was going to give 110 percent,” Longley, a second-year RA and South Deerfield native, said. “I wanted to make my group proud and I wanted everyone else out there who believed in me to be proud.”
These two students who are now a part of royalty are also two leaders in a court of students involved in all sorts of extra-curricular activities.
Longley, in addition to being an RA and Student Ambassador, started the Women’s Club Volleyball Team at Northeastern and volunteers with the Avon Breast Cancer Walk.
“Two years ago, one of my professors, Ruth Sheehan, passed away and I decided to get involved with breast cancer charities. That next year, I registered for the Avon 3-day Breast Cancer Walk in Boston,” Longley, who walked 60 miles in three days from Fitchburg to Boston said. “I raised over $5,000 with my teammate. This past September, my dad and I volunteered in New York City for the breast cancer walk … [we] served breakfast and coffee to over 4500 walkers. When I found out that both of my aunts got diagnosed with breast cancer just two months ago, I decided to walk again next year. I was wearing a pink breast cancer pin under my dress at the homecoming game and just before I walked out onto the field with the rest of the nominees, I touched the pin and said, ‘this one’s for you, Ruth.”
Riley works for NU admissions.
“I spend most of my free time giving tours in the admissions office,” Riley said. “I also enjoy long walks on the beach, the music of Michael Bolton and 10-cent buffalo wing night at Our House.”
He wants to extend a thank you to everyone who voted for him and he said, “you are all beautiful, in every single way.” Riley said he was very happy for Longley, as well.
The moment that sticks out most for Riley is “when President Freeland’s wife kissed me on the cheek. That was something special.”
Freeland’s wife, Elsa Nunez is vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the University of Maine, NU’s opponent at the Homecoming game.
After the crowning, a new look and a new name was revealed. NU’s mascot, the Husky, received its new name: Paws and showed off a new muscular physique.
“We got to take pictures with [the mascot],” said Pat Carey, a middler business and accounting major. “Paws, I like that name. I like Paws the best [out of the choices].”
Students could vote on the name, some alternative choices were “Middler” and “Ruggles.”
Northeastern went on to win the football game versus the University of Maine Black Bears 20-14.
