Smashing expectations of a close race, Ian Rosenberger and Takkeem Morgan were elected president and vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) last night with the highest voter turnout ever.

Rosenberger and Morgan, with 3,280 votes, beat second place candidates David Davis and Sara Ryan by 926 votes. A record-breaking 9,148 students voted in the USG election.

A hush fell over the crowd in HUB Heritage Hall as the elections commission took the stage just before 1 a.m. When the winners were announced, Rosenberger and Morgan slammed their fists in the air as more than 50 supporters in blue campaign shirts jumped in on a huddle.

"It was the most nerve-racking experience in my life, I think," Rosenberger said. "I'm a little tired, but I'm really excited about tomorrow."

They said they were ready to begin working on their platforms of making teacher evaluation results public, extending library room hours, reinstating excuse forms and improving safety downtown with lighting and emergency phones.

After pushing through the crowd to hug their opponents, Rosenberger and Morgan noted the "phenomenal" competition they faced.

"You can see the passion in everyone's eyes," Morgan said.

Runner-up Davis left the room visibly upset before he could be reached for comment, but running mate Ryan put a positive spin on the outcome.

"David and I are so happy," she said. "We had so many supporters, and they were so unbelievable."

Third place ticket Tim Dorman and Robyn Ricketts took the results in stride.

"I don't know what to say. I'm kind of shocked," Dorman said. "Congratulations to Ian and Takkeem. They really deserved it."

Ricketts was surprised by the number of votes each ticket received.

"I thought it was gonna be a lot closer between all three tickets," she said. "Everybody deserved to win, but that's not the way it works out."

Fourth place vice presidential candidate Mike Aiello said the winners will do an "awesome" job.

"If it wasn't going to be me and Steve, then I'm glad it was them," he said. "It's been a really great experience, but I'm glad it's over with."

His running mate, Steven Weiss, did not attend the ceremony.

"I didn't come in last!" said Sandip Trivedi, who finished fifth. "I'm damn glad Ian won. He deserves it. Both Ian and Takkeem are great candidates."

Trivedi said all the candidates were supportive of his choice to run to publicize the issue of lowering tuition.

Sixth place presidential candidate Chris Clermont, with his arm around running mate Shahida Sharir, said that after two weeks of hard work campaigning, he hopes Rosenberger and Morgan "step it up."

"We like the fact that the cycle is broken in USG," he added, referring to USG outsiders Rosenberger and Morgan's victory.

Collegian staff writers Caralyn Green, Abby Heisey, Alison Herget, Justine Maki and Meredith Setzman contributed to this story.