Mickey Dollens performs at Mr. University. He did not place. (MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)

This year, Pi Beta Phi’s Mr. University was held at McFarlin Auditorium to accommodate a larger audience. The sorority’s fourth annual fundraiser benefited both the Heroes for Children and Circle of Support.

Fraternities, sororities and athletic teams nominated a contestant to represent their organization in the event. In total, there were 13 contestants who battled it out in five categories: sports wear, formal wear, talent, question and answer and group dance section.

Senior Jack London, representing Kappa Alpha Theta, said he practiced for two or three days, and said his talent routine “will blow your mind away.” London said he was excited to perform his talent act: a black light show with “a lot of jedi-mind tricks.”

London and other contestants came prepared for the show, except senior football player Mickey Dollens.

Dollens said he didn’t notice the flyers of the nominated candidates, including the picture of him posted outside Hughes-Trigg for the last two weeks.

“I found out I was competing [Thursday] morning,” Dollens said, adding he was informed by fellow teammate Zach Zimmerman Thursday while eating breakfast.

“I’m just going to wing it,” Dollens said about his stand-up comedy, titled “Mickey Cometh.”  Dollens then shared a punch line about head coach June Jones.

“He roseth, he cometh, and on the third day … He saveth SMU football,” he said.

Zimmerman said he entered Dollens in the pageant more than a month ago.

Besides Zimmerman, other students attended to support their favorite contestants. Freshman Leslie Good said she came to the event to support Mr. Gamma Phi Beta, Nicholas Cains.

“He is very talented and funny,” Good said. “He has a good chance of winning.”

Hosts Cayla Boukather and Elizabeth Ball introduced the judges and then the contestants, giving a brief biography.

The talent portion included a magic show by Trigg Burrage, Mr. Delta Sigma Phi, “Slow-Mo Bowling” by Ford Binning, Mr. Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and a guitar and harmonica performance by Sam Mansfield, Mr. Phi Gamma Delta.

Later in the evening there was a group dance performance to the song “Good Girls Gone Bad.”

Junior Danielle Storey, a member of Pi Beta Phi, helped choreograph the dances for the contestants. Storey said that she and the contestants have been working on it for two months.

Storey said Dollens “played it off like he knew he was suppose to be here.”

Former Mr. Congeniality winner Ken Bell performed a dance called “Latin Fever,” which he also choreographed. Last year’s winner Karl Thumm performed “My Priority is Miss Sorority,” an original song he penned.

Dollens’ stand-up comedy about sorority house moms might have disqualified him from the competition, but it did not stop audience members from laughing.

Sophomore Bayleigh Collins said she “laughed for two hours straight.” and added, ” I couldn’t stop laughing.”

The performance caused the hosts to add a disclaimer to the event saying they could not “control what the boys said once they were on stage.” They also announced that Beta Theta Phi had raised $400, which was the most by any single organization. The total proceeds for the night were not available, but Pi Beta Phi members said advance sales topped $2000.

Then Cains was announced as both the winner of the “Mr. Congeniality” award – which was chosen by all contestants – and second place in the overall contest. Burrage won first runner-up, and Mansfield was announced as the winner of the “Mr. University” title.