Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Chi Omega came from behind Feb. 2 to win the Homecoming Spirit Cup competition by 35 points, beating their second- and third-place rivals Sigma Chi/Zeta Tau Alpha and Kappa Alpha/Delta Gamma, respectively.

Homecoming festivities began Jan. 26 with fraternities, sororities, clubs and organizations competing in various events for spirit points throughout the week-long event. "Overall, the events were well attended," said Jordan Schemmel, chair of the student homecoming committee. "We had a very good week. We had a very competitive spirit cup and I think we learned that we need to be more spirited."

As of Feb. 1, the teams of Pi Kappa Phi/Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Chi/Zeta Tau Alpha were battling it out for the final 750 points: 50 points in the parade, 500 for the float contest winner, and 200 for the Homecoming King and Queen winners. The Sigma Chi/Zeta Tau Alpha team was leading with 1,850 points with the Pi Kappa Phi/Alpha Chi Omega team trailing with 1,775.

That all changed when Pi Kappa Phi and the Alpha Chi Omega won the float contest and Art Thurm of Pi Kappa Phi and Amanda Bonner of Alpha Chi Omega were crowned as Homecoming King and Queen. "I don't think we expected it [the spirit cup] to be very close," Schemmel said. "It [the competition] was tight the whole week. I just sat back in awe because it was so close; the final result was amazing even to me." Homecoming at the University of North Florida was celebrated earlier this year than in the past. According to Schemmel, the theme, Ozzie Gras: A Celebration of Unity was designed to promote and celebrate the unity shown by the nation and the university community.

Schemmel said Homecoming was scheduled early so the week could celebrate both the basketball and baseball teams. "It was the only time in the teams' schedules that had both teams playing at home," Schemmel said. The week began with the fifth annual Battle of the Bands and Lip Sync Contest Jan. 26, with nearly 400 students in attendance. The band Two Left Feet took home the $300 Battle of the Bands first prize while the team of Sigma Chi and Zeta Tau Alpha won the lip sync and grabbed 200 points.

Other events throughout the week included the Powder Puff Flag Football Tournament, the Homecoming Talent Show, Game Show Night, the Pep Rally and Bonfire and Field Day. Homecoming Comedians Lewis Black and Aisha Tyler performed at the UNF Arena Feb. 1 to an audience of more than 1,000. After the comedians, teams stayed up well into the night building and putting finishing touches on floats for the parade around the university loop Feb. 2.

"There was an intense amount of participation in the float building," Schemmel said. "We had them [the competitors] on each floor of the garage, by the tennis courts and down by the university center. There was about 100 people there the whole night, until at least 5 a.m. when I left. It was amazing. We've been told that the floats look so much more professional because they were so much more done up."

Homecoming ended Feb. 2 with the Ozzie Gras five-kilometer Walk/Run and the Homecoming Parade, which was followed by the Tent Party and Pre-Game Pep Rally. Later that night, students danced the night away at the Homecoming dance and crowned the Homecoming King and Queen.

"My utmost wish anytime we do this [put on Homecoming] is to gain appreciation for student-athletes and the university as a whole," Schemmel said. "I don't care who wins the spirit cup, as long as we all gain appreciation for the university of a whole - that's worth it."