Where Niner Love Begins
It started at greek life events and student organization meetings. In Holshouser Hall, at marching band rehearsal, over coffee in Atkins Library and under the lights at a football game. What began as shared majors, shared spaces and shared experiences became something lasting.
At Charlotte, futures take shape — and for these Niners, so did lifelong love.
Chase Burton ’18 and Katerina Lantz ’20 ’22
Where did you meet?
We met at one of Chase’s fraternity events in late 2017. He is a member of Sigma Tau Alpha, and I’m a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Our favorite on-campus memory is storming the field in 2019 when our football team became bowl eligible for the first time!
After Charlotte, what happened?
After Charlotte, we continued living in this beautiful city and began traveling the world in our free time. We got engaged last year (on the football field!).
Kevin ’15 and Kate Daluyin ’15
Where did you meet?
We met at a back-to-school party freshman year. While Kate was focused on her studies, Kevin would bring her Starbucks to Atkins almost daily. After three months of coffee drop-offs, we finally started dating. That was 2011, and the rest is history.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Our favorite campus memory is booking study rooms and bringing our own coffee maker to Atkins for finals week. Witnessing the inaugural Charlotte football game was pretty surreal and a memory we'll keep close to our hearts forever. We also have many amazing memories of Greek Life and the Kinesiology Student Organization.
After Charlotte, what happened?
After Charlotte, we moved to Birmingham to obtain advanced medical degrees, got married, and eventually moved back to Charlotte to start our careers and a family together! Fifteen years later, we still attend Charlotte games and proudly hang a Niner flag in our front yard!
Hayley Owen ’21 and Daniel Edwards ’21 ’22
Where did you meet?
We met because of the Pride of Niner Nation Marching Band! We both play clarinet and met at a basketball band rehearsal.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Our favorite memories include eating Chick-fil-A in Prospector when we had time between classes, and performing in the stands at football and basketball games together.
After Charlotte, what happened?
We got married, moved to Rock Hill, and we have two dogs together.
Kyle ’16 and Lauren Smith ’15
Where did you meet?
Through fraternity and sorority events. Kyle is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and Lauren is a member of Delta Zeta.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Experiencing the inaugural season of Charlotte football! We attended many sporting events together, but being a part of the first football season was really special!
After Charlotte, what happened?
Lauren continued her education and received her master's degree. We got married in 2017 and moved from Tennessee to North Carolina to Colorado before eventually returning to the mountains of North Carolina.
Louis ’16 and Sarah Kraft ’16
Where did you meet?
We met because we were both student assistants with the football team. I was a student athletic trainer in the fall of 2015 and Lou was an undergraduate video assistant.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Our schedules didn’t allow for a lot of free time. We used to get Cookout milkshakes and sit in our cars in the parking lot around the football field. Most of our memories at Charlotte were traveling to football games. That fall, we got to go to Kentucky, and it snowed. We first spoke to each other unloading the plane at the Nashville airport at a game against Middle Tennessee. Lou actually gave me a necklace with the coordinates for that airport a few years ago for my birthday.
After Charlotte, what happened?
Lou stayed in Charlotte after graduation and continued working with the football team as a graduate assistant. I moved around a bit until 2019 when I finally came home. We were engaged in 2020, married in 2021, and welcomed our daughter together in 2024. We live locally and still love coming back to Charlotte for sporting events.
Shane Taylor ’12 and Ashley Broderick ’13
Where did you meet?
We met at a fraternity philanthropy event on campus, and Ashley randomly came up to me and gave me a hug because I looked lonely.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Attending events our organizations held through the year, traveling to a student leadership conference together and of course the late-night Cookout runs.
After Charlotte, what happened?
After Charlotte, I moved a few places, which caused us to be long distance for some time. In 2017, we moved in together and finally got married in 2020. Now we live back in Charlotte and have a 16-month-old son who we adore.
Lance ’96 and Sharon Williams ’96 ’24
Where did you meet?
Holshouser Hall — Lance was on the ninth floor and Sharon was on the 10th in 1992.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Our favorite thing to do on campus was walking the trails and talking about our future! Random snow days were also a blast, when we ‘borrowed’ cafeteria trays to go sledding. We’ll always remember the RDH!
After Charlotte, what happened?
After Charlotte, we got married and lived in Greensboro, where we started our family. After seven years there, we found our way back to Charlotte, added to our family and raised our four sons right here in the Mallard Creek/University area. Lance has used his engineering degree and experience to be a part of the building development on campus.
Jovanie ’16 and Sierra Flores ’16
Where did you meet?
We met during a Hispanic College Awareness Program meeting on campus. I was giving a presentation, and this class clown in the back was making jokes, having everyone laugh in a good-hearted nature. Naturally, I went up to him after the meeting, and it was like we were instantly magnetized to one another. From that day on, we were basically inseparable.
Favorite on-campus memory?
Some of our favorite memories together involved volunteering to support children and local Latino families, going to Charlotte soccer and basketball games, and watching intramural soccer (I watched; he played)!
After Charlotte, what happened?
After Charlotte, we decided to start our lives together. We got engaged in Paris, married a year later, bought a house, and started a family. I work in healthcare technology at Atrium Health and serve as a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolina, an he's a NCAA Division III collegiate men's soccer coach at Johnson & Wales University. I had no idea that chatty guy at our HCAP meeting almost 14 years ago would be my husband one day.
Did your love story begin on campus? Tell us on Instagram @49erAlumni.