SirCharles Perkins and Abbie Guin, SAU’s Homecoming King and Queen
SirCharles Perkins and Abbie Guin both said they needed a little time to let it sink in that they had been chosen SAU’s Homecoming King and Queen on Oct. 19, 2019, prior to the Mulerider football team’s victory over Southeastern Oklahoma.
In addition to their selection as King and Queen, Perkins and Guin stood out prominently in the game. Perkins, a Mulerider football player, scored a 63-yard touchdown, contributing to SAU’s 49-7 overpowering of the Savage Storm. Guin is the University mascot. She was accompanied on the field to receive her crown by Molly Ann, the mule that is becoming increasingly famous with Guin holding the reins. Dr. Trey Berry, SAU’s president, gave the presentation.
Perkins is a senior biochemistry major from Pittsburg, Texas, and Guin is a senior agriculture business major from Minden, Louisiana. They have found busy, rewarding ways of distinguishing themselves and bringing honor to the University they call home.
Perkins was nominated for Homecoming Court by the College Panhellenic Council. “I was nominated also last year,” he said. “I was surprised then – I didn’t know anything about it. This year, they told me that they were going to nominate me again. I said, ‘I lost last year, are you sure you want me to do it again?’”
He was thrilled to repeat the opportunity. “It was fun last year, and I knew everybody on the Court this year. It is definitely one of the highlights of my time at SAU.”
Guin was nominated by Phi Mu. “I felt it would be an honor just to be on the Court, whether I got Queen or not,” she said. “I’ve been so busy and tired (since Homecoming) that it hasn’t really set in yet. Not many people can say they once rode a mule for their school and were the Homecoming Queen!”
In addition to serving as the mascot, gaining SAU plenty of notice since the semester started, Guin spent two weeks campaigning for Homecoming Queen.
“I bought little bracelets for a penny apiece, and gave them out in the Reynolds Center, and I just encouraged people to get involved and vote,” she said.
“Even if they didn’t vote for me, I wanted people to participate in Homecoming.”
Perkins found an interesting way to campaign – by giving out free juice. “It was a hit,” he said of his decision to give away Kool-Aid Jammers. “I gave out candy on the side, but people loved the juice.”
Like Guin, Perkins reached out with one message: “I wanted people to vote, period. Anybody I saw, I said, ‘Hey, make sure you vote for Homecoming.’”
Both enjoyed the Homecoming Week activities. “For me, that was the fun part,” Perkins said. “That’s why I didn’t hesitate to be nominated.”
On Homecoming Day, Guin had to balance her duties as the Mulerider with participating in the Court. “There was no time to be nervous,” she said. “I had on my Homecoming suit and led Molly Ann during Mulegating. We posed for photos, and the mule went out with me on the field. After I was crowned, we took more pictures, and then I had to get changed into my Mulerider gear. I slept good that night!”
Neither could fully believe they had been selected as King and Queen. “I just said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’” said Guin, with a laugh. “Dr. Berry said, ‘You deserve it, you’ve put our school on the map.’ I was in awe.”
Guin has had her plate full representing SAU. In September, she and Molly Ann traveled to Little Rock to appear on KATV’s “Good Afternoon, Arkansas,” and to Memphis to appear on “The Chris Vernon Show.”
“Memphis was my all-time favorite trip so far,” Guin said. “Chris Vernon is a well-known podcaster for the Memphis Grizzlies. We ended up doing an hour-and-a-half interview. It makes me so happy that I got to do that for SAU.”
As King and Queen, she and Perkins will represent SAU at other upcoming activities, including the remainder of the Muleriders’ football games and at this year’s Celebration of Lights.
