Purdue News
Purdue NewsNote to journalists: Headshots of the solo twirlers are available from the Purdue News Service or on the PurdueNews Web ftp site at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The football field sidelines will look strikingly familiar for the Purdue University "All-American" Marching Band this fall. The four featured solo baton twirlers all are returning to their positions.
Nine women competed for the positions. All performed individual twirling routines and answered questions from the judging panel. In addition to performing with the marching band, the solo twirlers represent Purdue at conferences, meetings and other special events throughout the year.
Ann Marie Loppnow, a sophomore in industrial hygiene from Hartland, Wis., returns for her second year as Golden Girl XX. She has been twirling for 16 years and has won more than 1,000 trophies in local, state and national twirling competitions. While in high school, Loppnow served as captain of "Julie's Touch of Silver" twirling corps in Oshkosh, Wis.
The Golden Girl tradition began in 1954, during the era of football quarterback Lenny Dawson, whose prowess on the field prompted the press to dub him Purdue's "Golden Boy." At the same time, Al G. Wright (now director of bands emeritus) brought his first twirling protégé to the field, Juanita Carpenter, who became Purdue's "Golden Girl."
Karen Asadourian, a senior in electrical engineering from Westlake, Ohio, returns for her second year as the Girl in Black and her fourth year with the band. During the 1995-1996 season, she was captain of Purdue's twirling line. She is a certified competitive baton twirling judge and coach, and she has won numerous awards in both state and national twirling competitions.
The Girl in Black hit the scene in 1962, providing a back-up for the Golden Girl. June Ciampa Lauer, who also served as Golden Girl V, was the first to fill this position. Dressed in Purdue's other color, she first performed as the "International Twirler." This title was later replaced with the more obvious "Girl in Black."
Erin Griffin and Alisha Stenger each return for their third year as Purdue's Silver Twins. Griffin is a senior in math education from Valparaiso, Ind. . Stenger is a senior majoring in special education from Avon, Ind. Griffin has 18 years of twirling experience, and she has previously performed with Dee-Jay's Baton Twirling Corps, St. Paul's Twirlers, and A Touch of Class Twirling Corps. Stenger has 13 years of twirling experience. She previously was a member of the Royal Paraders and served as the Avon High School featured twirler. Both Griffin and Stenger have won numerous individual twirling awards in state and local competitions.
The Silver Twins were added to Purdue's lineup in 1960. Although the original Silver Twins were identical twin sisters, there have been many featured twirlers who were simply 'look alikes.' These young women always appear together in performances and photographs.
Purdue's bands department is more than 111 years old and is famous for its unique marching techniques and creative musical arrangements. Featured at all home football games and at selected off-campus events each season, the marching band also performs at the Indianapolis 500 each May.
The solo twirlers, twirling line, flag corps and Golduster dance line make up the band's auxiliary units that perform with the marching band.
The bands department is in the midst of a $2 million fund-raising campaign that will run through Homecoming 1999, with a goal of $400,000 for band scholarships, $800,000 for new instruments, and $800,000 to support student travel opportunities.
CONTACT: Jenny Tucker, director of public relations, Purdue Bands, (765) 496-2697; e-mail, tuckerj@concentric.net
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
