Chi Psi, Phi Mu take top prize in patriotic-themed Homecoming event
USC’s homecoming week continued Monday with a celebration of square dance and yoga pants as the annual Spurs and Struts competition packed Greene Street corner to corner with eager spectators and Greek life supporters.
Chi Psi and Phi Mu strutted their way to a top finish, spurred on by a crowd that stretched the length of Russell House, making Greene Street all but impassable.
Kelly McQuade, a second-year nursing student and director of the Spurs and Struts event, said that this year’s homecoming theme, United States of Carolina, drew a larger crowd than she — or anyone else on the homecoming committee — could remember seeing in past years.
“Thanks to all the organizations and to all the students for participating; we had to make a lot of cuts but we tried to make it the best it could be,” McQuade said.
Jeremy Gutridge, a second-year insurance and risk management student and Chi Psi homecoming chair, presided over a sea of elation and excitement among the winning fraternity group. Gutridge expressed pride in the organization’s dancers, explaining frequent and hard practices as a major factor in the group’s success.
“It is nice to kick off homecoming like this,” Gutridge said. “It’s great that this event can bring together the community like it does.”
Kaliska Schmauder, a third-year public health student and Gutridge’s counterpart at Phi Mu, praised the team dynamics that propelled her sorority’s dancers to victory.
“It was a lot of hard work and team bonding for everyone involved,” Schmauder said. “But we all worked so hard to support Carolina.”
The patriotic theme warranted a noticeable presence of American flags at the event, whether displayed by the dancers or on shirts and shorts. Songs like “American Girl,” “American Boy” and “American Woman” dominated the music choices, which included heavy pop, R&B and country influences.
Dancers pulled out rally towels to chant along to Sandstorm, displayed Gamecock signs and banners, and even lip-synced along to famous presidential addresses. Almost every group had a very prominent pro-America theme for their performances.
“It’s always good to show patriotism,” said first-year biology student0 David Berry, “I was also really impressed by how much time the groups put into their routines, especially with how long the sets were.”
This year also marked the first finals appearance for both business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and service sorority Omega Pi Alpha.
Fourth-year biological sciences student and OPA member Bethany Humphries was excite to participate in the competition.
“We practiced every weekend for a month,” Humphries said. “We’re really happy to be able to finally participate.”
Ian Shannon, first-year international business student and DSP pledge class president, said the opportunity to bond with his fellow pledges was a major perk to participating in the event.
“It’s great to get closer with the people around you and with the organization itself,” Shannon said. “It’s also just such an honor to be a part of homecoming since people work so hard so that we can participate in events like this.”
Shannon said the event was also a way to increase DSP’s organizational presence on campus.
“This was such a unique opportunity,” Shannon said. “It’s nice to show that we do know how to have fun. We don’t want to just be the business frat. We want to show that we’re a strong presence on campus.”