When Hawkeye Met Hawkeye: Alumni Love Stories

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we asked Hawkeyes on Facebook to share how they met their significant other. Here are a few of our favorite stories of alumni falling in love in Iowa City and keeping their love for each other and the University of Iowa going ever since.

---

Marv (59BSC) and Ruth Hiddleson

“My parents met on a blind date at an Iowa Homecoming football game in 1959 and were married in 1962. They were season ticket holders for football and men's basketball games for more than 40 years, I-Club and Golden Circle members for years and traveled to nearly 20 bowl games. Die hard and loyal Hawkeyes. 💛🖤🏈🏀” —Le Ann Finger

---

John (74BA) and Debi Milligan

“Bought my wife of 48.5 years, Debi, a beer at the Airliner in fall of '72 and the rest is history! Still going strong!” —John Milligan

---

Dwight (76MA) and Lea (77BSN) Jennings

“Met in 1975. Married in Iowa City, July 1977, celebrating 47th anniversary this year! Go Hawks!” —Lea Jennings

---

John (81BBA) and Denise (81BBA) Wieland

“Lived off campus. The roommate (Denise Albrecht Wieland) of my roommate’s girlfriend (Lisa Bartusek) came over to bake cookies. Mark and Lisa got married before Denise and I got married over 40 years ago.” —John Wieland

---

Jim (83DDS) and Maureen (83BA) Dempsey

“We met our first week of senior year studying dentistry and elementary education. Our first date was sitting in the window seat at Mickey’s. ☘️ We’ll be celebrating our 40th anniversary in October. 🖤💛” —Maureen Dempsey

---

Steve (85BBA) and Liz Rodawig (84BSN) Bennett

“I met Liz Rodawig at the Airliner in 1980. I thought an angel had just entered the bar. Had our first date at Iowa River and Power. That was it until four years later when we resumed our relationship. Both of our parents met at the University of Iowa as well, and our three children also went there. My parents were married at that little chapel outside the Union. Tried Chicago for a while but had to get back to Iowa. Still going strong 40 years later!” —Steve Bennett

---

Tammy (87BBA) and Mike (86BGS) Tschida

“We met in the weight room at Carver-Hawkeye Arena the fall of 1984. Mike was a baseball player for Duane Banks, and I was a basketball player for Vivian Stringer. The rest is history! Married in 1988!” —Tammy Tschida

---

Paul (91BBA) and Jill (91BA) Huntley

“Met in 1990 at the Hawkeye Huddle in LA before the Rose Bowl. Returned to Iowa City and dated our last semester. Graduated May 1991. Married 1992. Supported and attended Hawkeye sports immediately after graduating. All three kids are Hawkeyes also (2020/2022/2025). Many great Hawkeye memories (bowl games/tailgates). A favorite memory is taking our kids to the Rose Bowl in 2016.” —Jill Huntley

---

Chad (93BS) and Joan Schneck (94BA, 11MA) Hippen

“We met in the Hawkeye Marching Band in the fall of 1991. We got married on June 25, 1994, and had a black and metallic gold wedding. We have had season football tickets every year since we graduated! We still play our instruments at homecoming every year and even play in alumni pep bands! Both of our daughters are University of Iowa graduates, and we are a whole family of teachers telling all we teach who they should be cheering for. Go Hawks!” —Chad Schneck Hippen

---

Jerry (94BA) and Pamela (96BA) Fisher

“We met at U of Iowa in the fall of 1992. He lived in Quad, and I lived in Rienow. He ran track and I just watched. My friend tried to set me up with his roommate, but I guess I had other ideas. Two of our three kids were born at UIHC. We have been in TX since 1997, but the University of Iowa has always been a part of our lives. We've been a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Iowa Club since 1998 with us both on the board for quite a few years.” —Pamela Fisher

---

Ryan (98BA) and Lindsey (98BA) McDonald

“My husband and I met in 1995 working at the Airliner. He was the manager when I started as a waitress. We worked together until graduating, got engaged, moved to KC. This is us on our wedding day. So many wonderful memories and connections made at the University of Iowa!” —Lindsey McDonald

---

Eugene (96BA, 98MA) and Ruthina Malone (99BA, 02MA)

“My husband and I met in 1997 through our Greek organizations (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity) in the basement of the IMU. We exchanged numbers but I couldn’t leave the first call to fate. I purposefully waited outside areas I knew he would be for a couple of weeks to 'accidentally' run into him and strike up conversations. Then, I abruptly stopped showing up. He called and that led to our first date in Hubbard Park seeing Run D.M.C performing and us almost being crushed by the crowd because we were towards the front. We've been together ever since. Wedding picture is of us in Danforth Chapel.” —Ruthina Malone

---

Mike (00BA, 20MBA) and Alyssa Ault (00BBA) Collier

“My husband Mike and I met in the fall of 1999 at the beginning of our senior year at Iowa. We were randomly assigned to a group project and as marketing majors, ended up having several classes together. We started out as friends and bonded over our love of Hawkeye sports. We graduated in 2000 and were married in 2002, moving around the country before settling back where it all started, in Iowa City, 6 years ago. We have three kids and our oldest will be a freshman at Iowa next fall.” —Alyssa Ault Collier

---

Mark (04BA) and Emily (03BBA) Gores

“Met in Burge in January 2000, married in September 2004 at the Danforth Chapel. 🖤💛 Looking forward to celebrating 20 years this fall with a season opening Hawkeye victory!” —Emily Gores

---

Marc (03BS) and Leslie (03BA) Conte-Russian

“I met my husband the summer before senior year (after seeing his picture while studying abroad in Spain with his roommate) at Iowa. We dated (mostly long distance) for 10 years before getting married at Hotel Vetro (with our rehearsal dinner at Kinnick) and now we’re raising the next (4th) generation of Hawkeyes!” —Leslie Conte-Russian

---

Chikezie and Mandey (07BA) Ejiasi

“We met in the fall of 2005 when I was brave enough one night to approach this good-looking door guy at a downtown Iowa City bar. We hit it off immediately and spent a lot of our time cheering on the Hawks. We continued watching the team every fall weekend even after moving to CA in 2009. Here we are 17 years together, cheering on the Hawks with our Hawkeye raised twins at the Music City Bowl!” —Mandey Ejiasi

---

Andy (16BS) and Dedee (15BA) Thammavongsa

“My husband and I met at the University of Iowa in 2012. We lived on the same floor in Mayflower. The first thing he said to me was, 'Hey, where do you get those cupcakes?' The cupcakes came from a Mayflower new student event where we tie dyed Hawkeye shirts. We learned quickly we both always jump to an opportunity for free food. 😂 We eloped at the Johnson County Courthouse in Iowa City on my birthday in 2021 and then went out to eat at Cheddar’s with a small group of friends and family after. It’s only fitting that we had cupcakes for dessert afterwards. 🧁 No kids for us, but happily married and proud pawrents to a mini schnauzer named Chester! ☺️🐾” —Dedee Thammavongsa

---

QuynhAnh Nguyen (15MS, 19PhD) and Alejandro David Samaniego (14MS)

“We met in fall 2013 at the 'meet the first year' event of the math department. We were both grad students. He was in his second year while I was in my first year. He mistakenly thought I was from Thailand even though my last name is a common Vietnamese last name. He later said that he had no idea why he made such a mistake, but that mistake made me remember him from the first day. We later also found out that we were in the same room presenting our math posters at a conference in California a couple years before coming to Iowa. Fast forward to 2017, we had our first baby, and we named her IOWA. We had our vow renewal at the IMU in 2019, and here is one picture from that day. I was pregnant with our second baby in that picture. 🙂” —QuynhAnh Nguyen

---

Jorge (17BS) and Sarah (17MA) Martinez

“Saw my future wife at a club retreat fall of 2016, and thought she was cute, but didn’t have the courage to talk to her. The following week I walk into my biochemistry class at the Bowen Science Building, and there she was sitting towards the front. We were halfway through the semester, and I didn’t even realize we were in the same class! I then spent the next few weeks chatting with her after class where I eventually asked her to study with me, and the rest is history. We graduated spring of 2017. Engaged that December and married September 2018. Currently living in the Chicago area with our doggo. ” —Jorge Martinez

---