Homecoming is just around the corner, and several events have been planned for students from Oct. 24 to Oct. 29.Students have already selected the Homecoming court online. The homecoming maids are Dekeisha Anderson, biology junior from Benton; Amanda Barras, psychology junior from Plaquemine; Lea Bonvillain, business administration junior from Thibodaux; Alison Leonard, nursing junior from Houma; Dasha Maize, government senior from Morgan City; Leah Talbot, English junior from Thibodaux and Kristen Turnage, mass communication junior from Metairie.

The homecoming dukes are Ahmad Alexander, communicative disorders senior from Thibodaux; Reid Amedee, biology junior from Houma; Chris Breaux, business administration junior from Houma; Greg Brumfield Jr., government senior from New Orleans; Lee Daigle, mass communication junior from Thibodaux; David Vicknair, business administration/pre-law junior from Thibodaux and Rogers Williams, general studies junior from Jeanerette.

“I don’t know who the queen is yet,” Deborah Raziano, director for alumni affairs, said. “Everybody’s just going to have to guess and wait until next week.”

Homecoming festivities will kick off at noon in front of Bollinger Memorial Student Union with comments from University President Stephen Hulbert and Mayor of Thibodaux Charles Caillouet. The “Paint the Town Red” campaign will commence, during which students will go around town decorating the windows of different businesses.

Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. the annual pirogue races will be held, and on Wednesday at noon a pep rally will take place in front of the union featuring the announcement of the homecoming court. From 1 p.m.. to 10p.m., Student Programming Association will sponsor “Star Struck,” which includes novelties, contests, games and prizes.

On Thursday the parade will begin at 5 p.m. at John L. Guidry Stadium. After the parade there will be a bonfire.

There will be a College of Business Administration Alumni Association homecoming social on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Fremin’s for alumni. Two new homecoming events will be featured on Friday. At 7 p.m. a Poetry Slam will take place, which serves as an “open mic night.”

“Students, faculty and staff can come out and perform any poetry, music or stand-up comedy,” Talbot said. “After that we’re going to have a block party around the union, with different activities going on.”

The block party, which is the second new event, will commence at 10 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.

On Saturday, homecoming day, the annual golf tournament will be held at Bayou Country Club at 7:30 a.m. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and a maximum of 68 golfers may participate. At 8:30 a.m. the homecoming tennis tournament will begin at the Nicholls tennis courts.

A series of events for alumni will be held throughout the day, and at 5:15 p.m. the Pride of Nicholls band and the cheerleaders will lead a pep rally in the quadrangle.

The football game against the Texas State Bobcats, also known as the Battle for the Paddle, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the stadium. At halftime a fireworks display sponsored by the Nicholls Alumni Federation, Student Programming Association and the SPA will take place.

“I just encourage students to take part in every activity that student organizations are sponsoring,” Raziano said. “Most importantly, students should come out to the game. I mean, hey, we have a good time at our games.”

Raziano hopes that the “exciting game” against Sam Houston State will serve as an inspiration for the homecoming game.

“The Colonels did absolutely wonderfully in beating Sam Houston,” Raziano said. “Hopefully we can beat the Texas State Bobcats as well.