Fans huddled together in the stands, braving the cold and rain at Dix Stadium. Hiding under umbrellas, they wore hoodies and rain jackets to stay warm and dry.

However, not everyone hid from the weather. Wearing black suits and skirts, blue sashes and yellow flowers, the homecoming court stood at the sideline in the pouring, freezing rain.

One by one, all twelve, soaked homecoming court members took the field.

Then, they waited.

Thomas Ream and Ann Miller won 2012 Homecoming King and Queen Saturday during the halftime of the Kent State-Western Michigan football game.

Brady Ruffer, last year’s king placed a medal around Ream’s neck. Ream, senior Spanish major, said it was the greatest day of his life.

“It was that moment of: ‘That is not my name. Oh wait, that was my name. Oh God!’” Ream said.

Last year’s queen Ivy Lumpkin crowned Miller, who said she was completely shocked and speechless.

“This was just the best honor I could have ever received,” Miller, senior integrated social studies, said.

Both kings and queens took photos together in the misting rain. Miller said the weather didn’t matter.

“I could care less that it’s raining,” she said, her crown sitting on her damp hair. Ream agreed.

“It could be pouring, in a monsoon, a tornado – I don’t care,” Ream said, his suit soaking wet.

Ream and Miller both said they had an amazing experience even with the weather and met a great group of people.

“Being on homecoming court was such a blast,” Ream said. “I’m excited to make 12 new friends.”

Contact Alicia Balog at [email protected].