The 13th annual Coming Home King will be crowned on Feb. 16 in the Diddle Arena during the men’s basketball game against Florida Atlantic.

Hunter Williams, coordinator of Student Activities and committee chair of the Coming Home King event, said it is her goal to make this event bigger each year.

“The Coming Home King is much like the Homecoming Queen that we do for football,” Williams said. “But it is opposite for men on campus to honor and recognize the gentleman who are doing wonderful things.”

This year student organizations on campus, such as Greek organizations, Spirit Masters, the Student Government Association and others have nominated 19 men who will compete for the crown.

“It is really a time for men to shine,” Williams said. “We sometimes forget about them.”

Compared to the Homecoming Queen voting system, the Coming Home King will be chosen by four judges – a student and three WKU employees.

The nominees will be interviewed on Feb. 13, and the winner will be chosen based on his personality and involvement on campus, Williams said.

The winner and two runner-ups will receive a wooden clock.

One of the nominated men is Smithland junior Cory Dodds, a political science major. Dodds is the director of information technology for the Student Government Association, which nominated him to compete for the Coming Home King crown.

“I am both honored and humbled to be the candidate for the Student Government Association,” Dodds said. “I hope to represent them well.”

Dodds said isn’t sure why exactly he was chosen but that he has an idea.

“I hope I was chosen because of my commitment to working on student issues,” he said. “And my dedication to serving the student body through the Student Government Association.”

Even though Dodds said he is slightly nervous about the upcoming interview, he will try his best to represent his organization well.

Dodds said he wishes the best of the luck to all the other contestants as well.