When Matthew Phan was in high school, he said he spent more time hosting and coordinating school spirit events than being recognized at them.
But Wichita State’s student body vice president got “a different side of things” that he’d “never experienced,” when he was named Shocker Royalty during Shocker Madness on Saturday night.
“It wasn’t something that was on my radar,” Phan said. “I knew I was really excited for the events at Shocktoberfest, but I really never would have thought about being on the court.”
Phan and Riley McMillan were named Shocktoberfest Royalty, a school spirit tradition dating back decades. The student body voted for the pair out of 12 total candidates, who were selected based on their leadership roles and presence on campus.
“I was pretty surprised (to be nominated),” Phan said. “It was a really amazing week.”
To celebrate the conclusion of Shocktoberfest, a range of festivities — from a performance by the Shocker Sound Machine to the crowning of homecoming royalty — brought a small rally of parents, students and die-hard basketball fans alike to the roundhouse.
Following the Shocktoberfest parade, fans got autographs from the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The Shocker Sound Machine played tunes from their Queen-inspired show and later took to the court to perform several marching routines.
After cheering for more than 10 events, practices and scrimmages earlier in the week, the Wichita State Spirit Squad performed a floor set complete with splits, flips and chants. The group was later named the 2024 Shockerberfest Spirit winners, earning a $1,000 prize and a towering trophy.
The conclusion of the spirit week also saw the Wichita State women’s bowling team receive their rings for the ITA national championship that the team won in the spring. With 11 national championship wins, the team has only recently finished transitioning into the NCAA after receiving news of the move earlier this year.
Head bowling coach Holly Harris was not available for comment but later posted on her personal Facebook how proud she was of the “incredible nine women” on the championship team.
Players from the men’s and women’s basketball teams made their season debut with scrimmages pitting members of the same team against each other, offering a sneak peek of what the upcoming season may offer.
After a few scrimmage matches, a 3-point contest saw fifth-year guard and recent Shocker basketball transfer AJ McGinnis win shootout after shootout. Junior women’s basketball guard Kyleigh Ortiz trailed close behind, but McGinnis was named the champion, much to the audience’s enjoyment.
“Shocktoberfest is really important to student life in terms of engaging students,” Phan said. “I thought it was a really great opportunity to really let students know what athletics was about, but also to get them really acquainted with the rest of campus. And I’m hoping that we can continue the school spirit and engagement across campus.”
