Alpha Xi Delta wins Derby Days pageant

Elizabeth Mulholland receives a hug from one of her sisters in Alpha Xi Delta sorority after winning the Sigma Chi Derby Darling Pageant Wednesday night in the Downing University Center Auditorium.

Michael McKay

The ladies of Alpha Xi Delta had a lot to brag about Wednesday night.

Alpha Xi sophomore Elizabeth Mulholland was crowned winner of Sigma Chi’s Derby Darling pageant, a part of the fraternity’s Derby Days philanthropy week.

Second runner-up was Taylor Sang of Alpha Delta Pi. First runner-up was Veronica Smith of Kappa Delta.

This year the pageant included Greek wear, formal wear and a new addition to the show.

“This year we added talent, which a lot girls don’t feel comfortable about, but we wanted to add it in there because it actually makes a show a lot more entertaining,” said Sigma Chi Derby Daddy Maxwell Noonan.

Noonan also said the amount of participants was larger than in past years.

Alpha Xi junior Cheyenne McCauley said the wins are important for her sorority.

“We’re really new on campus so it’s a really big deal for us to win,” McCauley said.

McCauley said she was anxious waiting for the results to be announced, even though Mulholland does pageants regularly.

“She’s been working really hard to get here. She’s been practicing forever,” McCauley said.

Members of Mulholland’s sorority surrounded her right after it was announced she won, screaming and chanting.

“I’m ecstatic right now,” Mulholland said after her win. “I’m pretty much in shock, I’m just glad my sisters were out here supporting me.”

Noonan said all of the money raised will go to Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Sigma Chi Fight Night is also a part of Derby Days. Noonan announced before the start of the pageant that Fight Night was canceled for this week but was in the process of being rescheduled to May 3 and 4.

“I promise we will fight real hard to get this to happen,” Noonan said.