Campus Connection

For many Eagles, UWL helped them find 'the one'

College. It’s a time when many young people discover themselves, their calling, their place in a vibrant community. It’s also a time when some people are fortunate enough to find love. 

To mark Valentine’s Day and celebrate the special place UWL holds for many couples and families, we collected stories from alumni who met their significant others at UWL — often in the most unexpected ways. 

Whether they started as neighbors, coworkers, partygoers or lab partners, UWL has played matchmaker for countless couples who left with much more than a degree, but a partner to share their life with. Here are some of their love stories, in their own words.

Ralph Stover and Maureen (Knorring) Stover, both '71  

In March of 1969, it was a snowy winter weekend in La Crosse. A Delta Zeta sorority sister was having a party at her home on Main Street, so I decided to go with my friend Sue Schuette, who was over 21. She purchased our drinks for the evening. Upon arriving at the party, we realized we would have to hide our beverage so no one would steal it! There was a snowbank outside in the front of the house, to the side of the porch, so we stashed it there.  

Within a few minutes, a number of Delta Sigs arrived. One of the young men was particularly handsome. That man was none other than my future husband, Ralph Stover, ’71. I asked him if he had a nickname since I really did not care for the name Ralph because it had the connotation of vomiting. He said no and quickly rebutted that my name rhymed — Maureen Knorring. It turns out, that was an auspicious start. I did find out he lived only 17 miles from me in a suburb of Chicago. Perfect! I now had a ride home. 

In 1972, we were married. We will celebrate our 53rd anniversary in June. I learned to live with his name, and he changed mine. We went on to have four children and nine grandchildren.

Paul Koeller, '77, and Karen (Runerson) Koeller, '76

In September 1973, my future wife (Karen Runerson) and I both started our freshman year at UWL. On the first day of classes, we sat next to each other in Mrs. Gilke’s freshman English class in Graff Main Hall. It didn’t take me long to realize I had a crush on her, but I was too shy to talk to her. A few weeks later, I decided to head north on campus on my bicycle even though I lived south of the campus. Much to my surprise and delight, I saw Karen walking home from a different class to her room in Angell Hall. I got up enough nerve to stop and talk to her and walked her to her dorm. The cool thing is that we had to write a daily journal for that English class. I still have that journal with the entry I wrote that day. Shortly after that, we began dating. We dated all four years at UWL and got married two weeks after graduation in May of 1977. We have been married now for 47 years, we have one daughter who is married, and we have two grandchildren. All thanks to UWL. 

Suzanne (Gagne) Zimmerman and Ken Zimmerman, both '79

This love story began in the fall of the 1978-79 school year. Sue was a member of the Phi Gamma Nu business sorority, and Ken was a member of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. After meetings on Thursday, the two groups would socialize at The Cellar. We began dating that fall. On our first date, we went to see "Halloween" at the movie theater downtown. Sue graduated in the spring of 1979 with a business administration degree, and Ken graduated in the summer of 1979 also with a business administration degree. We were married in 1980 in New Glarus, Wisconsin. We lived there for 39 years before retiring and moving to Mesa, Arizona, to be near our son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters.

Amy Gleason, '89 & '96, and Scott Gleason, '89

Does any college student like group projects? For us, the fate of being assigned to the same group project introduced us. Amy always sat in the front of class, Scott in the back. Our paths would have never collided had Mrs. Maik not assigned us to the same group for a project in ENG 307. Our group had a game plan: We’d each work on a section of the report and then collate it. Scott, given his computer skills (and the fact that he actually owned a computer), offered to put it all together for us … if one of us would help. Amy volunteered, and the rest is history. We’ve been married almost 35 years and still dread group projects!

Bryan Hart and Julie (Graumann) Hart, both '89

Bryan and Julie met in 1988 on an Accounting Club bus trip to the Twin Cities. They sat next to each other on the ride and spent the rest of the trip side by side. Through the Accounting Club, they continued to see each other until they eventually had their first date, which was seeing James Taylor at SummerFest in Milwaukee. Shortly after graduating in December 1989, they got married on Jan. 20, 1990. Bryan was offered a job with an accounting firm in the Twin Cities after completing an internship set up by UWL Career Services, relocating the Harts. They had two kids, Nolan and Chloe, who both went on to graduate from UWL and remain in the area today. 

Julie's brother Brent Graumann also found his love at UWL, marrying Allison (Dieck) Graumann in 2008. Chloe, who is now employed with UWL Marketing and Communications, met her partner, AJ Courier, while they were both students at UWL, too. Additionally, Julie and Brent's parents, William and Mary Graumann, both worked at and retired from UWL — William in the Business Services office and Mary as a secretary for the Exercise & Sport Science Department. 

Matt Weege, '00, and Melissa (Mendel) Weege, '01

Our love story started as we met and fell in love at UWL in the late 1990s. It started as acquaintances with mutual friends and belonging to the same student organization, Cru. Things changed for Matt when we had a brief conversation outside of North (now Wimberly) Hall about summer plans, careers and life after college. Matt had recently been on an elk hunt In Montana, and when I inquired about that and shared that I grew up in a hunting family and would eat venison, his interest was piqued. I thought nothing of it but thought he was sweet, easy to talk to and quite handsome. He quietly observed me for a few weeks and when “looking for a sign” to ask me out, found a signed receipt I had accidentally dropped in Murphy Library. He had been on a mission to pick up trash when he saw it. That new habit proved to be worthwhile. He asked me out, we had our first date enjoying “A Christmas Carol” at the La Crosse Community Theatre in its former 5th Street location, and then stopped for coffee at Jules in December of 1998. We had a rather short dating relationship, getting engaged at Pettibone Park in May of 1999. We were married one year later on May 27, 2000. We will celebrate our 25th anniversary this year. 

Steve Lalko and Kelle (Shea) Lalko, '02

Steve and Kelle waited four years to meet each other. They both majored in physical education but never had a class together. Steve played on the men’s club volleyball team, and Kelle was a member of the swim team for four years. They had many friends in common, but their paths never crossed. It wasn’t until they lived next door to each other during their senior year that Kelle’s roommate introduced them, and they finally met. The rest is history. They now reside in Oswego, Illinois. They have been married for 18 years and have two daughters; Emma, who plays volleyball like her dad, and Ella, who has followed in her mom’s footsteps as a swimmer. Their time at UWL holds some of their favorite memories, and La Crosse will always be a special place for them. 

Matt Jorgenson, '03, and Gina (Witkowski) Jorgenson, '05

I transferred from UW-Eau Claire to UWL over the summer of 2000, and I was very sad to leave behind the friends I’d made, the groups I’d been involved in and the people I’d been accustomed to seeing every day for the past school year. 

The fall of 2000, my very first day at UWL, I was practicing for Concert Choir auditions, which happened the week before classes started.  I was in one of the many practice rooms in the fine arts building. A fellow choir student knocked on the door and complimented me on my singing. I don’t remember who the person was, but I remember feeling like UWL would be ok after that moment. 

Four years later, I start dating a fellow music ed major. One night, he said, “Remember when I knocked on your practice room door four years ago and complimented you?” That’s when I knew he was “the one”!  

We had a beautiful wedding.  Several UWL music professors attended. Dr. Greg Balfany, Dr. Chris Frye and Karen Quinn played at our reception, and I sang with them, as I had many times as a student.  

We are still together 20 years later, and our oldest daughter, Melanie, is attending UWL as a marketing major in the fall. We couldn’t be prouder! 

Nick Bakke, '09, and Katie (Schumacher) Bakke, '10 & '12  

Nick and Katie (Schumacher) Bakke met during their undergraduate years at UWL, serving as camp counselors in the Pre-College Multicultural Summer Adventure Program in the summer of 2007. Coincidentally, they discovered they lived right across the street from one another that same summer on Vine Street, and the relationship took off from there. Katie, a psychology (pre-OT) major, and Nick, an education major, had never crossed paths until meeting each other at the camp counselor training. As they engaged in a get-to-know-you activity, they needed to share something and then race around to different spots in a circle. Nick, showing an interest in Katie, shared, “I like girls with curly hair” and it sparked the chase of a lifetime. Katie and Nick cherish the memories of this program with the students from hiking in the Porcupine Mountains, watching the morning star rise over Lake Superior, and students sharing the moment they experienced seeing the stars for the first time. They continued their roles as camp counselors for the summer of 2008 and eventually married in July 2011. They reside in the Holmen area with their three children. Nick serves as an associate principal for Holmen High School, and Katie is an occupational therapist in the School District of La Crosse. 

Patrick Eddy and Becky Putzer, both '11

Patrick and I didn't start dating until my senior year (his super-senior) but knew each other vaguely from class and working at Murphy's Mug together. I was majoring and he was minoring in history, so our paths crossed. Our first "date" was Oktoberfest — all because my best friend was more brave than I was and invited Patrick to come with our group. [Thank you, Dani (Prins) Runyan, ’12!] Being history nerds, we decided a historic building in La Crosse would be a perfect place to celebrate our wedding in 2017. We made sure to get a few pictures on campus, where it all began.

Riley Moore and Jana (Huisman) Moore, both '12 

Riley Moore and Jana (Huisman) Moore met at UWL in the summer of 2009. Riley had spoken to his RA freshman year about getting involved on campus, and he suggested Riley run for a senator position with the Residence Hall Association Council (RHAC). Jana was also encouraged by her assistant hall director (shoutout to David Lemon) to pursue the national communications coordinator position with RHAC. The RHAC summer training sparked their friendship, ultimately leading to a relationship. Being Minnesota natives, they bonded over their dislike of the Packers and being surrounded by Packer fans on campus. Frequenting The Pearl and going on walks along the river were some of their favorite things to do together. Riley and Jana spent the rest of their years at UWL involved in Residence Life and being each other's support systems.

After graduation, Riley attended Stanford Law School while Jana finished her internship at Trane in La Crosse. They got married in Minneapolis in 2015, moved to Chicago and continued to enjoy walks, only this time along Lake Michigan. Since being married, they’ve had many adventures, living in Illinois, Michigan, Washington and New Jersey, and have finally settled in the suburbs of Chicago. They have two beautiful, curly-haired boys and cherish their time as a family. This year, Riley and Jana will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Maldives. 

Nick Adams and Hannah Olevson, both '15 

Hannah and I met in our junior year, when we were RA's in Angell Hall. We began dating our senior year, and we have been together for about a decade since. We spent time together going to Whitney, going on bluff hikes and walking downtown to Rudy's or the Root Note.  Without UWL, we never would've found each other. 

Not only did we get married after being part of the Angell Hall staff — two people on our hall council are married, an RA and our hall council president are married, and an RA and one of our residents are married. Angell Hall was one romantic place back in 2014!

Zach Mansee, '15, and Tawn Christians, '17

We met while Tawn was a resident assistant and Zach was a front desk worker in Wentz Hall. Zach’s parents also met at UWL, and we are proud to continue that tradition. Even though we have moved away to the Pacific Northwest, Zach made it a point to propose to Tawn in Myrick Marsh just off campus when back for a visit. Today, Zach runs his own business using his finance, economics and accounting degrees, and Tawn helps university students in crisis, crediting a strong foundation from UWL’s psychology program. 

Emily Porter and Chris Porter, both '19

It was our second week of classes at UWL, fall semester, freshman year, and I was attending an event in the basement of our dorm, Laux Hall. I was in the kitchenette with my roommate when we were approached by a young man. I haven’t always been a believer in love at first sight, but there was something about Chris that felt like a magnet drawing me in. He walked me to my room that night after the event, but before I let him run off, I gave him my phone number in the hopes he was feeling the same as me. Turns out he did! The next day I got a text, “Hi this is Chris, from last night, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner with me tonight?” That evening, we took the bus downtown to Sushi Pirate and had the most connected date of my life. It felt like I had known this person my whole life. Even today we comment on how we must have known one another in a life before this and will find one another again in any life after this. We had our first date on Sept. 17, 2015, and haven’t left each other’s sides since. It will be 10 years together this fall, four years married this June, and expecting our first child in April. We are proud of the education we received at UWL but take even more pride in our family that started there.  

Olivia (Dorscheid) Radenz and Jackson Radenz, both '19 

My name is Olivia (Dorscheid) Radenz, and my husband's name is Jackson Radenz (he goes by Jack). Back in 2017, these two young UWL students met. They were neighbors in off-campus apartments. The two sets of roommates became quick friends. After some convincing, she decided to give her future husband a chance. They went on their first date at Kate's Pizza Amore. Many dates soon followed, including hiking in the bluffs, The Pearl Ice Cream binges, Murphy's Mug study dates, Howie's Trivia nights and riverside walks. Years later, they moved out to the wild west (Boise), but in 2024, they returned to La Crosse to get married. Their wedding was witnessed by the college roommates and friends that were there to see the whole relationship begin. They tied the knot at the Nature Place in Myrick Park, where the groom had many earth science meetings while he was an Eagle. On their wedding day, they snuck away to get a quick photo in front of the apartment building that started it all.  

Linnea Cochran and Carson Kaashagen, both '20

Linnea and Carson met in August 2016 on the first day of cross-country preseason camp during an icebreaker activity. They had both met so many new people already, but their introduction over the “floppy fish” handshake icebreaker left a memorable impression for them both! As the semester started, Linnea and Carson kept running into each other during cross-country team functions and meals at Whitney. They started messaging each other and finding times to arrange competitive ping-pong matches at the REC, play piano in the Center for the Arts, and talk about their favorite bands. Carson and Linnea grew close as friends during freshman year, and continued their friendship all the way through junior year. That April, they drove through a snowstorm to a concert that featured two of their favorite bands. After, they both felt a good shift in their friendship, and in May of their junior year, Carson asked Linnea on their first official date. They’ve continued strengthening their partnership and often reminisce about the early days at UWL. In October 2024, Carson and Linnea got engaged and are now planning their wedding! 

Alex and Amy Richardson, both '21

Alex and I met in our anatomy and physiology lab our second year at UWL, where we were assigned to the same lab table. I thought, “I hope I get paired with the cute football player.” He didn’t ask me out until the end of the semester — “just in case you said no.” We graduated in 2021 and have a family now.

Grant Mathu, '23, and Hannah Dull, '24

My name is Grant Mathu. My partner, Hannah Dull, and I owe the start of our relationship to UWL. Much of our college experiences had been shaped by the pandemic, which made meeting people challenging. By 2022, I was skeptical of the social aspects of college, including student organizations. 

One day when I attended a student org meeting in Wimberly Hall, everything changed. I met Hannah, a student who had come to UWL from Western Tech. She shared her passion for local politics and community engagement — two things I’m deeply invested in — and our first conversation quickly turned into a lively discussion. From that moment, we’ve never stopped talking. 

Today, we live together in downtown La Crosse with our two kittens, Vernon and Julie. In a fun twist, Hannah now works in Wimberly Hall and the same department — Political Science & Public Administration — I was studying in when we met. 

Since graduating, we’ve both continued growing personally and professionally. I work full-time at Western, continue to serve on the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors, and am pursuing my master’s at UWL. Hannah and I never could have guessed how central UWL would be to our story, but it’s clear the university has shaped who we are and the lives we’re building.