Pitt royalty announced at Saturday’s football game

At first, Michael Hizny didn’t realize he had won.

“I was shocked. For a moment, I didn’t even believe they called my name,” Hizny recalled of his crowning moment as Pitt’s latest Homecoming King — the shock still apparent on his face in the final quarter of the game.

With the Pitt Panthers up 17-10 against the University of Virginia, the crowd cheered again at halftime as Pitt’s Blue and Gold Society named seniors Hizny and Paige Lumley Homecoming King and Queen, respectively.

Crowns and sashes in place, Hizny, a communications major, and Lumley, a civil engineering major, embraced one another and beamed up at the student- and alumni-filled stadium.

The race for Pitt’s homecoming court officially began one week prior to Saturday’s football game, after court applications closed and candidates were allowed to start campaigning. Student voting began on Oct. 8, and ended at noon on Oct. 9.

The homecoming contest is an annual Pitt tradition run by Pitt’s Blue and Gold Society — the campus organization that connects the student community with Pitt’s Alumni Association. According to the Society, the Homecoming King and Queen represent the student community and its diversity of organizations and pride for Pitt.

Fifteen candidates — seven men and eight women — ran for Homecoming King and Queen this year.

Megan Schlegelmilch, the president of the Blue and Gold Society, said the Blue and Gold Society would not comment on the total number of student votes this year to protect the integrity of the campaign, but said participation was about the same as last year.

“This year’s representatives in particular did great a job of going out, talking to students and telling them why they love Pitt,” Schlegelmilch said. “I’m really proud of everyone who ran.”

Lumley is on the track and field team and holds the fundraising chair of Pitt’s chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World, a national non-profit that works to design and implement sustainable projects for communities.  Lumley said campus involvement was a key part of her campaign.

“For me, winning Homecoming Queen is about representing both athletics and academics,” Lumley said. “I individually talked to different sports teams and organizations on campus to get the word out.”

The rest of the campaign process for the king and queen included making banners, T-shirts and posters, as well as getting the word out on social media.

“My campaign slogan was ‘Hiz Majesty,’ spelled H-I-Z,” Hizny said, laughing. “My friends definitely got creative with that one.”

Hizny is also a Pitt cheerleader and a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity.

As their first offical act as Homecoming King and Queen, Hinzy and Lumley will both take part in Pitt’s annual Pitt Make A Difference Day, something the Blue and Gold Society requires them to do.

“I love Pitt because it’s a big school, but it’s comforting and welcoming and never feels that big,” Lumley said. “My advice to younger students is to have goals. If there is something you want to get involved in, go for it.”

For Hizny and Lumley, winning Homecoming King and Queen is the pinnacle moment of being Pitt students.

“If you told me three years ago that I would end up Homecoming King, I would not have believed you,” Hizny said.

With two winners, though, 13 other candidates went home Saturday without a crown or sash. Kilian Liptrot, a senior politics and philosophy major, was among them.

Liptrot, whom Pitt’s Model U.N. club sponsored, was Lumley’s running mate in the election.

Compared to Lumley, however, Liptrot said he felt he didn’t put as much effort into his campaign. 

“I put zero dollars into my campaign, and I think that campaign money can sometimes skew the election results,” Liptrot said.

Despite his loss, Liptrot was happy with the results.

“In the end, it was just about having a good time,” Liptrot said.

When Hizny and Lumley, who met for the first time Saturday, parted ways in the stadium, they hugged each other,promised to keep in touch and took a moment to admire their new headgear. Lumley’s tiara sparkled on top of her head. Hizny took off his crown, a blue velvet and gold sequined number, and with his king’s scepter in the other hand, held it out.

“I’m surprised at how heavy it is,’ said Hizny, smiling. “Do you want to hold it?”