FarmHouse, Alpha Gamma Delta take home Yell titles

BY CAROLINE CRAIN

News Editor

Tarleton State University crowned FarmHouse and Alpha Gamma Delta the 2025 Yell Contest winners.

FarmHouse claimed the small-division title for the first time since 2019, after finishing as runner-up in the past two contests. Alpha Gamma Delta’s victory marked their third consecutive year in first place.

In the small division, Kappa Sigma claimed third place, and Lambda Chi Alpha took second, ending their four-year win streak in the competition. In the large division, Phi Mu earned third place for the third consecutive year, while Delta Zeta placed second.

Emmie Vaughn is a junior in Alpha Gamma Delta, and she has served as the Yell Director for the sorority the past two years. When her group was announced as the large division winners, emotion overwhelmed the floor.

“I was feeling my sisterhood, honestly,” Vaughn said.

“It has been such a beautiful experience going through this and creating relationships with people I’ve never had, and I feel like I know every single person who won.”

Caden Calkins, a junior, was the Yell Director for FarmHouse. He said that after the results of the past two years, they were fueled with motivation.

“It’s a real humbling moment whenever you work really, really hard for something and you don’t get it, you come up a little short,” Calkins said, “but that’s okay, because you always have the opportunity to come back even stronger, and that’s exactly what we did.”

To accompany the tradition’s first appearance in the EECU Center, a special new addition was added to Yell Contest: the Audience Choice Award.

Tarleton President James Hurley said the addition was “great all the way around.”

“We thought that it would be a great addition because of the new EECU Center. The new technology that we could use to measure sound, we didn’t have that before,” Hurley said. “And the sheer fact that we could incorporate that into the Yell, we knew that the fans would be able to show up and participate in their way as well.”

FarmHouse and Delta Zeta won the Audience Choice Awards for their respective divisions, with volume measurements for both reaching a peak of 107 decibels.

Katelyn Parr was the Assistant Yell Director for Delta Zeta. The sophomore said the title meant a lot to the group.

“It really was so rewarding and so sweet hearing the Audience Choice winner,” Parr said. “Hearing that just made my heart so full, that these girls behind me have worked so hard and that they deserve this, truly, 100%.”

The energy in the center was reflective of the attendance, with over 4,500 people attending in person and over 9,000 who tuned in on the live broadcast.

Jelly Smith was one of the people in the record-breaking crowd, and she highlighted the essence of the tradition.

“I think Yell brings students out of their shell, makes them more comfortable and makes them want to get more involved,” Smith said. “I think it’s just great all around.”

Coordinating Yell performances is no simple task, with most groups beginning preparations months in advance. Vaughn highlighted how hard Yell directors in particular work to bring this tradition to life.

“We put in countless hours,” Vaughn said. “I have put in over 100 hours on this Yell, and I know other organizations are the same, and I just wish people saw the amount of love and effort that goes into it for us, let alone the chapter.”

Parr said her chapter began working on their performance all the way back in January.

“It was just so amazing to see, and actually having it done and having it performed on the floor, we couldn’t be any more proud of our girls, how they did and how we did also at Yell Contest,” Parr said. “It just made it sad that it was all coming to an end, but it was just such a rewarding process of getting to know all these girls and knowing that all of these nine months of hard work has truly paid off so much.”

Hurley explained how the excitement at Yell Contest fit into the overall spirit of homecoming week.

“The energy this entire week has been incredible, but tonight, it really finds another level,” Hurley said. “And it always starts with Yell and the Beating of the Drum, and then it carries through the concert, bonfire and game. It’s just so much fun – a week long of traditions that should be preserved and protected forever.”

Calkins summarized the impact that the tradition has on the campus community.

“Honestly, I think Yell Contest is one of the most important traditions that Tarleton has ever had,” Calkins said. “It’s a complete bonding experience throughout all of the Greek community. It’s a great experience throughout the entire school for everybody to come out and be in one place together and to have a great time.

That’s what Tarleton’s about, and that’s what makes it special.”