Annie Long Named 2026 Mississippi State Homecoming Queen
The senior interdisciplinary studies major from Southaven won the title with the campaign slogan 'A smile goes a long way.'
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in College Life
Annie Long was named Mississippi State University's 2026 Homecoming Queen. A senior interdisciplinary studies major from Southaven, she is a fourth-generation Mississippi State student planning to graduate in May.
Why it matters
Long's selection reflects her ties to campus life, from serving as a 2025 Orientation Leader to working as a 2026 orientation intern. Her path shows how student leadership roles in orientation can carry into broader campus recognition.
Long has spent four years at Mississippi State University and handled orientation sessions with 30 or 40 students each. The extraction does not specify the number of candidates or vote totals in the Homecoming Queen race.
The players
Mississippi State University
A public land-grant university in Starkville, Mississippi, known for its long-running Homecoming tradition and student orientation programs.
Jake Hartfield
Director of orientation and events at Mississippi State University, overseeing the orientation program Long worked with.
The details
Long ran for Homecoming Queen with the campaign slogan 'A smile goes a long way.' She is a Roadrunner, a Delta Gamma sorority member, and an ACCESS peer mentor, and she worked closely with the Department of Orientation and Events.
Timeline
Summer 2025: Long and Hannah Noelle Cochran were randomly assigned as roommates during orientation.
2025: Long served as an Orientation Leader.
2026: Long served as an orientation intern and was named Homecoming Queen.
May 2027: Long plans to graduate and pursue a future in higher education student affairs.
Campus Tradition
Long's coronation fits within Mississippi State's Homecoming tradition, which honors students who have built ties across campus through orientation and other leadership roles. Her four-generation family connection to the university places her selection within a longer institutional lineage.
For Starkville residents and students, Long's selection highlights the role orientation leaders play in welcoming new students to campus. Readers interested in campus life can see how orientation programs shape student involvement at Mississippi State.
The takeaway
Student leadership roles such as orientation work and peer mentoring can lead to broader campus recognition. For students navigating their own college experience, joining these programs early builds connections that often last through graduation.
Further reading
For more on campus traditions and student experiences, explore College Life coverage.
