UT Martin gears up for Homecoming 2018

MARTIN, Tenn. — It’s homecoming week at the University of Tennessee at Martin, and this year is bringing back both old and new traditions.

“This year, we’ve added a homecoming king,” Director of Alumni Relations Jackie Johnson said. “The fraternities and student organizations will put forth a nomination, and whoever, which guy gets the most votes, will get the homecoming king, just like we’ve done with Homecoming Queen in the past.”

Students say this is a welcome addition.

“We haven’t had a homecoming king before now, so I think that’s pretty cool,” Sydney Baker said.

“It gets everyone involved. It’s not just the sororities now. It’s the fraternities too,” Hannah Sampson said.

Plus, organizations are participating in a competition that is special to UT Martin. “Basically a huge tug-of-war,” Johnson said. “People get down and they dig in, and the fraternities and sororities pull against each other.”

It’ll be standing room only this week starting at four as fraternities and sororities face off in rope pull, one of UT Martin’s most prized traditions.

“I have not been to rope pull, but I’m super excited to see what it’s all about,” Baker said.

The campus is getting ready for many more activities throughout the week. “I’m just excited for ‘Lipsync’ because me and my pledge class have been working really hard on it, so I’m just really excited to show what we’ve been working on,” Baker said.

Friends of those students will be showing their support. “We’re going to have signs with their names, you know, be pretty supportive,” Kate Baker said about her friend, Dalton Grant, who was standing beside her.

Quad City will take place Saturday before the homecoming football game. “We’ll have tents all over the quad from student organizations and academic departments,” Johnson said. “We’ll have a petting zoo, a zip line, lots of fun to be had.”

Then, the grand finale: UTM vs. Southeast Missouri State. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. at Hardy-Graham Stadium.