January 9, 2008

New Purdue Golden Girl to debut at Jan. 10 Michigan game

Tierney Brown
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Brown, who has twirled as Girl in Black since she entered Purdue in 2004, steps up to fill the spot vacated by Meghan Lamontagne, who notified the band department this week of her decision to leave the university to pursue studies elsewhere.

"I'm excited by this new opportunity. It's the perfect way to end my career at Purdue," Brown said. "Being a fourth generation Purdue student, my family has been supportive of my time here and they are thrilled to be able to see me twirl as Golden Girl."

Director of Bands Jay S. Gephart asked Brown to step into the position rather than leave it vacant for the 2008 spring semester. All of Purdue's twirlers perform on campus and throughout central Indiana during the spring semester. Gephart particularly wanted a Golden Girl to perform at the Indianapolis 500 in May and the "All-American" Marching Band's subsequent trip to China.

Lamontagne, a Pelham, N.H., native, twirled as Purdue's 25th Golden Girl from the fall of 2006 through the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26, 2007.

"I loved being an ambassador to Purdue as the Golden Girl," Lamontagne said. "This university has given me so much, and I want to thank everyone who has supported me and given me encouragement."

She plans to return to the east coast to participate in different career opportunities and pursue an acting career.

"I can't just live in the glory of being Golden Girl," she said. "I knew I had to face facts and that it was important for me to move in a new direction."

Gephart said the Golden Girl position was created in 1954 by Professor Emeritus Al G. Wright and quickly became one of the university's - and the band department's - most treasured traditions. It has always stood for excellence in the twirling community, and annual auditions for the position attract candidates from all over the United States, he said.

Brown, a management major, will graduate in May. She will turn the position over to a candidate selected through national auditions on the Purdue campus on March 1. With Lamontagne's departure and the graduation of Brown and Silver Twins Megan and Morgan VonDielingen, competition at the March auditions will be wide open. Four new solo twirlers - filling the position of Golden Girl, Girl in Black and Silver Twins - will begin their performance careers in the fall of 2008.

Gephart said the position of Girl in Black will remain vacant for the remainder of the semester.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources: Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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