ARKADELPHIA -- Abby Root, a senior speech/theatre arts and education major from Arkadelphia, was crowned Ouachita Baptist University's 2016 homecoming queen during a pregame ceremony before the Tigers' homecoming football game on Saturday.
Root, whose parents are alumni and longtime faculty members at Ouachita, has grown up around the Ouachita campus. Her father, Jeff Root, is dean of the School of Humanities, and her mother, Deborah Root, is chair of the Rogers Department of Communications.
Root represented the Eta Alpha Omega men's social club. She is involved in the Ouachita Student Foundation, Alpha Psi Omega, Alpha Chi and Kappa Delta Pi. She is on the Welcome to Ouachita's World Steering Committee, which welcomes freshmen to Ouachita. Root was escorted by her father during coronation.
"I'm kind of in shock, but I'm super excited," Root said. "I love Ouachita and I'm happy to represent it. All of the girls were equally deserving of this and it was just an honor to be nominated with them."
Root was crowned by 2015 homecoming queen Bonnie Magee and was presented a bouquet by Ouachita President Ben Sells during the ceremony at Cliff Harris Stadium.
First runner-up was Mari Bednar, a senior dietetics and nutrition major from Little Rock, who represented the Ouachita Student Foundation. She is involved in OSF, the Tri Chi women's social club and the Dietetics Club. She was escorted by her father, Rick Bednar.
Second runner-up was Damaris Garcia, a senior Christian studies major from Richland Hills, Texas. She represented Campus Ministries. She is on the Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team and is a Refuge speaker. She was escorted by her father, Lupe Garcia.
Third runner-up was Gail Lange-Smith, a junior dietetics and nutrition major from Harare, Zimbabwe. She represented the Rowing Club. She is involved in the Rowing Club and Dietetics Club. She was escorted by her brother, Ben Lange-Smith.
Fourth runner-up was a tie among Hannah Bunch, Staci Gore and Estefanie Perez.
Bunch is a junior history and political science major from Paragould and represented the junior class. She is involved in Student Senate, Veritas Women's Discipleship, ElderServe, College Republicans, OBU Res Life and is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha and Phi Alpha Theta. She is also a tutor for Ouachita's Academic Success Center. She was escorted by her father, Chris Bunch.
Gore is a senior finance and business administration major from Springdale and represented the EEE women's social club. She is on the Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team and is a Campus Ministry leader. She is the president of EEE and is an Eta Alpha Omega Sweetheart. She was escorted by her father, Stacy Gore.
Perez is a senior business administration and mass communications major from Maracaibo, Venezuela. She represented the Kappa Chi men's social club. She is involved in Ouachita Student Foundation, Women in Business, Enactus, TranServe and is a Kappa Chi Little Sis. She was escorted by Jon Merryman, director of Ouachita Alumni.
Other top 20 homecoming nominees included Esther Atkinson, a junior musical theater major from Rogers; Molly Boone, a sophomore communication sciences and disorders major from Maumelle; Haley Brown, a senior elementary education major from Stuttgart; Alyson Cole, a junior biology major from El Dorado; Arden Hall, a senior mathematics and physics major from Springdale; Katie Jo Henley, a sophomore mass communications and business major from Conway; Kelsey Hogue, a senior communication sciences and disorders and Spanish major from Little Rock; Haley Martin, a senior mass communications major from Little Rock; Baylee McBride, a sophomore biology major from Hooks, Texas; Kinzie Schmidt, a sophomore graphic design major from Little Rock; Kayla Walker, a senior musical theatre major from North Little Rock; Jodie Webb, a senior elementary education major from Memphis, Tenn.; and Emily Weeden, a senior worship arts major from Rogers.
School on 10/23/2016