Audra Godfrey, senior communications major, was crowned Homecoming queen by Jenny Tabatabaie, last year’s Homecoming queen at the Homecoming game Saturday afternoon.

Credit: Steve Schirra

Although the Marching Golden Flashes put on a great halftime show at Saturday’s game, the main attraction was the coronation of this year’s Homecoming King and Queen.

“I’m actually nervous for them,” said 2004 Homecoming Queen Jennifer Tabatabaie prior to the announcement. “I don’t know why.”

As the Homecoming court processed across the field, Kevin Folk and Audra Godfrey were announced as the 2005 Homecoming King and Queen. President Carol Cartwright presented Folk with a medallion. Last year’s Homecoming King and Queen, Teddy Wenger III and Jennifer Tabatabaie, crowned Godfrey and presented her with a bouquet of yellow roses.

“I was unbelievably nervous the whole day,” Godfrey said. “It feels amazing, but it’s surreal. I never would have thought I’d be here.”

Folk said he wasn’t nervous, but he did not expect to win.

“I didn’t think I would win due to the fact of the quality of people on the student Homecoming court,” Folk said. “Before they announced it, I actually felt as if I’d already won twice. The first time was just being nominated, and the second was when I actually found out I made it on the Homecoming court to represent the student body.”

Now that Folk and Godfrey have been crowned, they will have a number of responsibilities as Kent State representatives.

“It’s sort of like being an ambassador,” Tabatabaie said. “Last year I went to the president’s events in the loge and so on. There’s a lot of athletic stuff. We escorted people at the games.”

The Homecoming court is also planning to do another act of philanthropy soon, in addition to the blood drive they held this week, Folk said.

After the game, the Homecoming court members and new King and Queen “danced under the stars” at the Homecoming dance in the Rathskeller.

“The other girls and guys were awesome,” Homecoming court member Lindsey Shearer said. “We got along great. It was just a great experience.”

Except for the Homecoming court, the dance floor in the Rathskeller was sparse. The dance was the same time as the Jurassic 5 concert in the M.A.C. Center.

“I really have no interest in the Homecoming dance, although I know a lot of people do,” said Ryan Bell, freshman hospitality management major, who opted to attend the concert instead.

The scheduling conflict was not intentional, said Taura Mitchell, Homecoming chair and ACPB traditions chair. Concerts and dances tend to both be scheduled for the evenings.

Contact alumni affairs reporter Joanna Adolph at [email protected].