The traditional Homecoming pep rally has added some new highlights to get students pumped for Eastern’s Homecoming football game against Eastern Kentucky Saturday.

The pep rally will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at O’Brien Stadium as part of this year’s Homecoming festivities. If the weather doesn’t suit the occasion, the pep rally will be held in McAfee Gymnasium at 7 p.m.

The Black Student Union’s new dance and pep squad, Jolie, will debut its act at the pep rally. Monique Cook-Bey, assistant director of student life and adviser to the BSU, said Jolie grew out of an interest on campus in a diverse women’s dance group.

The act will include some jazz, hip-hop and modern dancing and a few surprises Cook-Bey said she wanted to save for the debut.

The goal is to create another unique expression of campus pride through dance.

Jolie will hold tryouts after Homecoming for any interested women.

“The only requirement is a commitment to dancing,” Cook-Bey said.

Both the Pink Panthers and EIUDancers will be performing a routine to support Eastern’s football team.

This will be the EIU Dancers’ first time performing at the Homecoming pep rally.

The Pink Panthers will team up with the EIU Cheer Team. Tasha Thursby, Panther Pride co-chair for the Homecoming committee, said the football team may join in, too.

Head coach Bob Spoo also will be speaking on behalf of his team.

DJ Lee Michaels, an Eastern student who Thursby said has spun at a number of University Board events, will be appearing to energize the crowd.

He will be helping with a fun-filled game of “Name that Tune” where numerous prizes will be awarded. The game won’t be easy, Thursby said, and will include popular current music and some older, harder to name songs.

Students needed to sign up prior to the show date to win these valuable prizes.

Thursby said about 25 students have signed up and are competing for gift certificates to E.L. Kracker’s and the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union Bookstore.

The top three winners from the “Who Wants to be a Mascot” competition will perform as the Prowler, Eastern’s mascot, Thursby said.

The eventual winner of that contest will get a DVD player and a $50 Bookstore gift certificate, and may also perform at Saturday’s game.

Admission to the event is free.

*Staff writer Lisa Meyer contributed to this report