Top 14 Candidates Announced for Royalty

By: Jozie Kumm and Juliana Oltmanns

The Dakota Days Royalty members were announced at the Coyote Kickoff Event on Oct. 2, starting the further voting process that will be taking place throughout the rest of Dakota Days. 

Out of the 54 candidates originally selected, there were a total of 14 USD student nominees that were voted upon by their peers and further ranked as the top Dakota Days Royalty candidates. Dakota Days Royalty will be announced on Saturday at the homecoming game.

The top female seven candidates selected for Miss Dakota Days are Rachel Spinks, Ellen Mallory, Grace Duvall, and Racheal Cooper, Hanna Kuck, Grace Luna and Emily Olson. 

The top seven male candidates for Mr. Dakota Days are Phil Adam, Rylan Behnke, Eli Cheever, Mason Matthies, Caleb Swanson and Trevor Sinclair.

Dakota Days Royalty candidate Micah Hanson said he was surprised when his name was called out of the lineup. 

“I didn’t realize I was getting picked. I feel like a lot of people go in there thinking, like, I’m not going to get it,” Hanson said. 

Another Dakota Days candidate Caleb Swanson said he is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Dakota Days Royalty candidates. 

“It hasn’t been too extensive so far. Now that we’re in the top 14, it looks like there’s a lot ahead of us and so I’m excited about that. But the experience that we have had so far has been great,” Swanson said. “Everyone’s really excited for Dakota days and really kind of getting us all in this spirit for supporting our athletic teams and our weekend games and other competitions. And so I’m excited to see Yotes go out there and do well.” 

Along with Swanson, candidate nominee Eli Cheever, said that Dakota Days has meant a lot to him as well as the community. In which the top selected Dakota Days Royalty members get to be a part of the many activities taking place throughout the week of Dakota Days.

“Dakota Days to me is really about showing what USD has to offer. I guess by being in this position to represent that really just makes me feel rewarded,” Cheever said. 

USD students can continue to vote on Royalty Members up untilOct. 6 at 12:00 p.m, the individual link to vote can be found in one’s student email.

Photo Credit: Sydney Kolln | The Volante