On Friday, three Western alumni will join about 70 other accomplished graduates in the Hall of Distinguished Alumni. They’ll be inducted at 11:30 a.m. at the Sloan Convention Center, said Donald Smith, assistant vice president of the alumni association. Alumni have been inducted into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni since 1992.

When I found out that I was going to be a Homecoming queen candidate a couple of weeks ago, I did the first thing I imagine most girls would do: I called my mom. Her response was one for the ages. “Hey Mom, how are you?”

The hammering of shoe soles in a clear rhythm reverberated through the floorboards from two rooms in the Dance Arts of Bowling Green studio Monday. Sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha and fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, both from the National Pan-Hellenic Council, were practicing routines for the council’s upcoming step show, “Rock the Stage.”

Paul Sandeford, a Lady Topper basketball head coach from 1982-1997 and an assistant coach for the men’s team from 2004-07, has without a doubt left his mark on Western athletics. Sandeford is Western’s most successful coach in Lady Topper history. He led his teams to a winning record every season he was on the Hill.

Excellence can be defined in many ways. Many of those ways can define the diving career of Rick Kral. The Farmington Hill, Mich. resident came to Western in the early days of the swimming and diving programs under former head coach Bill Powell and made an immediate impact from 1975-78.

Don Durham The Casey County native enjoyed perhaps his best year in 1970. He led the baseball team with a .418 batting average, six triples, eight complete games, 54.7 innings pitched, three victories on the mound, eight games started and 80 strikeouts.

Red Victoria’s Secret underwear, pom-poms, bikinis and red towels hanging in dorm windows, come Friday morning, won’t be a shocking sight – at least not to those familiar with “The Hanging of the Red.” Western’s annual “The Hanging of the Red” contest continues this Friday during Homecoming week festivities.

Imagine becoming an American citizen on Independence Day. Immediately thrown into the festivities and celebrations, perhaps even before grasping what being American means, you are exhilarated and maybe a little overwhelmed as you light your first firework.

Middleburg sophomore Ashley Shelley compares building a Homecoming float to picking out the perfect prom dress. “You want to look good,” the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority member said. “But you want everyone to be surprised when they see you.” Several Western organizations are hard at work designing and building their floats for this year’s Homecoming parade with the theme, “Movin’ On Up.”

Western’s centennial has been the focus of Homecoming themes for the past few years, said Charley Pride, director of student activities and organizations. This year’s theme, “Movin’ on Up,” is meant to celebrate the university’s future. The theme signifies Western’s transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (formally Division I-A), as well other advances on campus.