Candidates for West Virginia University’s 2013 Homecoming court have been selected. The five female and five male candidates will now compete for the title of king and queen.

Homecoming queen candidates are: Erin Barthelmess from Hurricane; Elayna Conard, Huntington; Olivia Kinney, Bridgeport; Chelsea Malone, Morgantown; and Linden Nelson, Wheeling.

Homecoming king candidates are: Bryce Cumpston from Morgantown; Tyler Elvin, Delmont, Pa.; Walter Hardy, Fairmont; Shawn Russman, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Dillon Tucker, Winfield.

The candidates will begin campaigning today (Oct. 7). Voting will take place on Oct. 16-17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at two locations: the Mountainlair, and the Student Recreation Center. The entire court will participate in the Homecoming parade, which takes place on High Street, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 18.

The 2013 Homecoming king and queen will be crowned during a halftime ceremony at the WVU vs. Texas Tech football game on Oct. 18 at Milan Puskar Stadium.

The WVU Alumni Association announced Darryl Talley as the parade marshal and Verl O. Purdy as the 2013 Outstanding Alumnus. For more information, click here.

Bios for each Homecoming candidate:

Homecoming queen:

  • Erin Barthelmess, a biology major, is senior transition officer of the Pi Beta Phi fraternity. She was the spring 2012 pledge class president and is an elected member of the Leadership Nominating Committee and Policy & Standards Board. She is the vice president of community service and scholarships for the Panhellenic Council. Barthelmess is a trainer of mobility assistance service dogs at the Hearts of Gold Service Dog Training Organization, among other community service opportunities. She is the daughter of Brett and Angela Barthelmess. She is sponsored by Pi Beta Phi.
  • Elayna Conard, a public relations major, is the director of community service of the Mountaineer Maniacs and a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She is also a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and has been the director of formal recruitment (2011) and chapter president (2012). Conard is a children’s church leader at Suncrest United Methodist Church, among other volunteer opportunities. In addition, she interned for Sen. Joe Manchin earlier this year. She is the daughter of Buck and Cathy Conard and is sponsored by Alpha Phi and the Mountaineer Maniacs.
  • Olivia Kinney, a pharmacy major, is a member of the WVU Dance Program, the historian of the Student Dance Association and a student ambassador at the School of Pharmacy. In addition, she is a historian and brother of the Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity and a member of the Academy of Student Pharmacists. Kinney has volunteered for many different organizations including the Sundale Nursing Home, the Mapleshire Nursing Home and the Ronald McDonald House, among others. She is the daughter of Jon and Pattae Kinney. She is sponsored by the Student Dance Association.
  • Chelsea Malone, a finance major, is secretary of the WVU Entrepreneurship Club, a brother of the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity. She is also the executive director of alumni relations for the Student Government Association. Malone was the 2011 Mountaineer Idol and later was an intern for the program. In addition, she is a group leader of the Morgantown Chapter of Mental Health America, a junior board member on Ronald McDonald House’s Board of Directors, among other volunteer activities. She is the daughter of Wayne and Nancy Malone. She is sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Club.
  • Linden Nelson, a pharmacy major, is the chaplain of the Alpha Phi sorority. During the 2011-12 school year, she was the executive board director of administration. She is a member of the Mountaineer Maniacs, the Pre-Pharmacy Club, the Academic of Student Pharmacists and the Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity. Her community service activities include: Alpha Phi Red Dress Gala, fraternity philanthropies, Greek Clean Up, Christian Help, Village Nursing Home and Ronald McDonald House, among others. She is the daughter of Robert and Kimberly Nelson. She is sponsored by Alpha Phi.

Homecoming king candidates:

  • Bryce Cumpston, an occupational therapy major, was president of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity during the 2012-13 school year. He has also assumed the roles of risk management and intramural chair at the fraternity. He is a member of the Student Occupational Therapy Association at WVU. Cumpston has volunteered for many organizations including the Golden Living Center of Morgantown, HealthSouth of Morgantown, Relay for Life, the Boys and Girls Club of Morgantown. He is the son of Dennis and Sherri Cumpston. He is sponsored by Phi Kappa Psi.
  • Tyler Elvin, a sport management major, was named the 2012-13 Greek Man of the Year for his work as a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, of which he is president this year. He is also on a Greek national board of governors. In addition, he is part of Alpha Lambda Delta, College Republicans, Sport Management Club, Ski/Snowboarding Club among others. Elvin has volunteered or participated in events like the American Red Cross Blood Drive and Trunk or Treat. He is the son of Jon and Theresa Elvin. He is sponsored by Sigma Nu.
  • Walter Hardy, a computer engineering and electrical engineering major, was president of the Residence Hall Association for two years, and is currently the webmaster of the WVU Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers and a student policy advocate in Student Government Association among others. He has served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Mountain Line Transit Authority and helped to bring WVUp All Night to the Evansdale Campus earlier this year. He is the son of Walter and Mary Hardy. He is sponsored by the WVU Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers.
  • Shawn Russman, an elementary education major, is a member of the Pride of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Marching Band. He’s also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a music fraternity. He’s part of the Ultimate Frisbee Team and the MoTones of Epsilon Sigma. He has volunteered at the Morgantown Theatre Company, Mill’s Music Missions and the Area School Frisbee Clinic. He is the son of Mike and Linda Russman. He is sponsored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Pride of West Virginia and the Ultimate Frisbee Team.
  • Dillon Tucker, a finance major, is an athletic councilor for the Student Government Association and is on the Olympic Sports Committee of the Mountaineer Maniacs, where he helps host tailgates for basketball, football, soccer and volleyball matches and helps plan watch parties for various road sporting events. He is the co-leader of the United Way Gold Rush t-shirt campaign and in the past has served meals at the Bartlett House and the Ronald McDonald House, as well. He is the son of George and Cindy Tucker. He is sponsored by the Mountaineer Maniacs.

-WVU-

td/10/07/13

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