Some of you might remember Dave Ashwell ('07) as the center on North Florida Ospreys Men's Basketball team. Dave and Stephanie ('06), a UNF School of Communication major, shared a couple of smaller classes together, and Stephanie always thought Dave was cute. One day in 2004, she ran into him and asked if he had studied for one of their upcoming tests, to which Dave responded that he hadn't even gotten the book yet. Stephanie offered to let him borrow it, but he had to pick it up from her house.
Well, one thing led to another and they've now been happily together for close to 20 years, raising their daughter Autumn and their dogs Blue, Arlo and Snapple!
(Published 2/13/23)
Most people visit the University of North Florida Bookstore in search of textbooks, but these two Ospreys found love instead and just couldn't help them shelves.
Jessica Bessent (’14) and Celestina Gjokhila (’15) #MetInTheNest while working at the UNF Bookstore. They also were active on campus and huge supporters of the North Florida Ospreys basketball programs. They started dating in 2013 and eventually tied the knot in 2022.
Nowadays, Tina works at Bank of America while Jessie works at Progressive. They remain active with the UNF Alumni Association, joining us for the occasional event, but they’ll be returning to the Nest for the Osprey Vow Renewal!
(Published 6/21/24)
Sometimes, fate really is just being in the right place at the right time. Angela Bruno (’13) was a student at the UNF School of Communication while David Brangaccio (’13, ’16) was in the UNF Brooks College of Health studying athletic training. They just happened to sit next to each other in Intro to Philosophy on the first day of the 2010 Spring Semester. They dated, worked on the UNF Swoop Squad together, and after graduation, got married in 2016.
After earning his bachelor’s in athletic training, David returned to The Graduate School to complete his master’s in health administration. He currently serves as the director of business operations for Maxim Healthcare. Angela has spent the last decade working in the PR/marketing field, and just recently started a new position as the brand strategy director of North Star Place Branding + Marketing. This past year, they celebrated seven years of marriage with their almost 4-year-old daughter Josephine!
(Published 2/20/24)
James Breaker (’81) and Loretta King Breaker (’81) TECHNICALLY met while attending school across the street at Florida State College at Jacksonville, but they OFFICIALLY started dating after transferring to the University of North Florida. They were both very active in UNF Student Government and served as officers in the Black Student Union. Their group helped to start the Martin Luther King Scholarship Fund and brought several notable speakers for Black History Month including Maynard Jackson, then first African American mayor of Atlanta, GA.
Both James and Loretta graduated from the UNF Coggin College of Business with degrees in marketing and management. James was an Army ROTC cadet while attending UNF and entered the military as a Second Lieutenant immediately following graduation.
James served honorably in "Operation Enduring Freedom" and retired at the rank of LTC after 26 years of service to our country. Loretta followed suit retiring after spending over 30 years as an underwriting officer at Prudential Financial.
They are celebrating over 42 years of marriage with their three sons and four grandchildren. While their roots are built deep in the Jacksonville community, we’re still excited to welcome them back to The Nest 45 years after they both initially stepped foot on campus!
(Published 6/25/24)
From the 1Card office to a Trading Card shop, these two Ospreys are the perfect addition to your #MetInTheNest collection!
UNF Coggin College of Business economics major Erik Caldwell ('23) and UNF Brooks College of Health public health major Natalya Rodriguez ('23) met through mutual friends in 2019 while living in the Osprey Crossings during their freshman years. They had an instant connection and started dating January 2020, and made it through the pandemic by quarantining together, spending quite literally 24 hours a day with each other. It's safe to say the connection was pretty powerful. As things started to return to normalcy, Rodriguez got a job working for the Osprey 1Card office and soon after Caldwell joined as her co-worker.
After graduation, these two Ospreys stuck around The Nest. They're both in The Graduate School studying communication management, Caldwell concentrating in business and Rodriguez in public health. They're also both heavily involved in UNF Student Life. Rodriguez is president of UNF THSA and Caldwell is president of UNF Trading Cards, but they both serve on the executive board for each other's organizations. They're also members of the Graduate Student Organization. Natalya works as a GA for the Graduate School while Erik runs a business from home selling trading cards and other collectibles. They attend several conventions each year as vendors and hope to set up a brick-and-mortar location soon.
(Published 2/25/24)
If you’re looking for new #MetInTheNest stories, this Osprey couple is the hottest thing since the World Cup in Qatar.
Ariana Munoz (’22, ‘23) and Michael Carrero (‘25) put the “goals” in relationship goals. They first met outside the training room at Hodges Stadium where her best friend introduced them. They would see each other now and then in between trainings and games in Fall 2022, however it wasn’t until January 2023 that Michael invited her to train with him as they were both returning from their respective injuries.
It was that day they really got to know each other while playing soccer. In between drills, they talked about their backgrounds, past experiences, and cultures. Shortly after, Michael asked her to go on their “official” first date where they enjoyed a nice meal with a beautiful view of Jacksonville Beach near the pier.
Muñoz finished her North Florida Ospreys career and earned her bachelor’s in kinesiology and exercise science, and is currently in the Executive Master of Health Administration program while applying for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Carrero continues to play for the Men's Soccer team and is in the UNF Brooks College of Health kinesiology program while also pursuing a leadership minor. Although they both have busy schedules, they still have weekly date nights. They just celebrated their first year together and feel beyond blessed to share this love together.
(Published 2/21/24)
Here's one Osprey relationship that we’re glad to see has WORKED OUT! Cory Carson (’22) was a UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction student studying Building Construction while Kayliana Carson (’21) was a UNF Brooks College of Health student majoring in Health Administration.
Luckily, these two Ospreys #MetInTheNest as fitness trainers at the UNF Recreation and Wellness Student Wellness Center. After one shift at the gym, Cory asked Kayliana to go to church with him and his fraternity brothers. Afterwards, he invited her to a party to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in the NFC Championship. Little did she know, it would just be her sitting with Cory on his couch watching the game with his roommates.
But a win is a win, and with the Bucs headed to the Super Bowl, it made sense for them to carpool back home to Tampa to watch the big game! A Super Bowl date sets a pretty high bar, but after the plethora of dates that followed, it was clear this couple was meant to be!
Nowdays, Cory puts his degree to use as a field manager with Palmetto Residential Electric. Meanwhile, Kayliana has made her home in The Nest as following graduation, she’s continued to work for UNF Recreation and Wellness as their Health Education Coordinator.
(Published 6/27/24)
While this isn’t “technically” a #MetInTheNest story, it’s close enough that we’re sharing it anyway.
Steve (’16) and April Cowdery (’18) met attending high school in central Florida, but after 6 months of dating, they both moved up to Jacksonville to attend UNF where their relationship fully blossomed. Once Steve earned his construction management degree from UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC, the couple got married and moved down to St. Petersburg. However, April still had one semester to go until she earned her degree.
We know many of you have made the drive from Jacksonville to St. Pete, but now imagine making that drive twice-a-week. April drove up to Jacksonville every Sunday, worked remotely early Monday, attended 3 UNF School of Communication classes in the afternoon and evening, and then drove back to St. Pete to be back at work on Tuesday. Oh, and did we forget to mention she was in her second trimester pregnant with her first-born daughter? April completed the trek back and forth until she graduated with her communication degree in the Winter of 2018.
Nowadays, April’s commute is a little better as she serves as an operations specialist for an accounting firm, while Steve holds the title of superintendent for a construction firm.
(Published 6/26/23)
While this isn’t “technically” a #MetInTheNest story, it’s close enough that we’re sharing it anyway.
Allison Bailey (’12) was an RA on campus living in The Fountains and majoring in Elementary Education from the UNF College of Education and Human Services. Drew Crabb (’11) was at the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC majoring in Computer and Information Sciences. Though they both attended UNF, they actually began talking through the website, OkCupid.
For about a month, they talked exclusively through messaging or texts until they finally decided to meet in person and go on a date. However, before their first official date, Drew was running late for a class and instead of waiting for the shuttle, Allison volunteered to drive him. So they first officially #MetInTheNest in the parking lot in front of University of North Florida Student Services.
They were both very shy and she misread it as disinterest, so after dropping him off she figured that was the end of it. Fortunately, he was quick with reassurance that it’s just his shyness and he still very much wanted to go on their date.
It was raining when he picked her up in front of The Fountains, but when she walked out, she found him waiting outside with an umbrella to take her to the car. When she made it back to the Fountains later that night, she’d spent hours at the front desk talking with the residence staff about how she had a feeling she’d just found the man of her dreams.
They continued dating through Drew's graduation, and before Allison had crossed the stage, Drew popped the question. They got married in March of 2013 and had their reception at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center. 11 years later, they’re returning to the exact same spot to renew their commitment to each other.
(Published 6/19/24)
Haley Reinheimer ('19, '21) earned her Bachelor's in Elementary Education and stuck around for her Master's in Higher Education as she continues to work at the University of North Florida as an Assessment and Accreditation Coordinator in the College of Education and Human Services.
However, one of her biggest milestones came when a friend wanted to go to a Greek life event at Chi Phi Fraternity - ΧΦ at UNF. She convinced Haley to join her, and while she was there she ran into another friend that was a brother in the fraternity. He was excited to introduce her to his newest little, Mikey, and that's where the #MetInTheNest all started!
Michael Culumber ('22) was a student in the UNF Construction Management program. After meeting at that event, the two of them started out as friends, but this quickly developed into a relationship. They've been going strong for almost 5 years now. Michael earned his Bachelor's in 2022, and is a Project Engineer with Power Design.
(Published 2/17/23)
In the Fall of 2017, one Osprey went exploring for an apartment and ended up finding a lot more!
Nathan Dean (’19) was a Communication major with a Sport Management minor from the UNF College of Education and Human Services. Going into his junior year, he was looking for some off-campus housing options when he decided to take a tour of Frassati Newman Hall. The receptionist, Kaley Weldon (’19) was a UNF Brooks College of Health student majoring in Public Health with a Health Education minor. They connected immediately and she gave him a tour of the complex along with her phone number.
They began dating in January 2018, and spent much of their free time going to North Florida Ospreys games, enjoying walks on the UNF RecWell trails and hanging out on the green. On July 9th, 2021, they enjoyed a walk along the beaches of Naples, only this time it ended with a proposal. They got married in March 2022 at the Golf Club Of Amelia Events in Fernandina Beach.
After living in Austin for a year, the couple moved back to Jacksonville earlier this year. Nathan currently works as the Social Media Supervisor for Fanatics, while Kaley serves as an Administrative Coordinator for Reach Milestones, a company that provides ABA therapy for autistic children.
(Published 11/17/23)
Adventure awaits for these Ospreys! Kelsey Cohen (’17) & John Dirr (’16) #MetInTheNest in 2012 during their freshman year, and while they both agree they were drawn to each other after spending time during her Kappa Delta and his Kappa Sigma events, they differ on when they first met. John remembers seeing Kelsey’s “pretty blonde self” when they shared notes in one of their first leadership classes freshman year. If you ask Kelsey, their first meeting was actually during the summer before their freshman year at the fountains near the lazy river, where John was explaining to others around that his last name is DIRR and not “DEER”.
While their initial meetup story may be up for debate, it’s even harder to pinpoint when they really started dating because they so seamlessly became close friends before their relationship officially started. As a Jacksonville native, Kelsey knew the best places to go (like Al's Pizza for $1 slices), and naturally she wanted John to be her travel partner. Between Thursday night pizzas, house parties at John’s place, and sipping hot chocolate while looking at Christmas lights, it was clear this was more than just a friendship.
John graduated from the UNF Coggin College of Business with his degree in Transportation and Logistics and Kelsey followed shortly after with her degree in the UNF School of Communication. Now, their lifelong adventure could begin. After years of exploring the best sights across the globe, the couple got engaged on Captiva Island in 2021, and officially tied the knot this past month in Bermuda!
(Published 6/2/23)
It’s been quite the #DecemberToRemember for these two Ospreys!
Jaime Dougherty (’23) and Matthew Dougherty (’23) #MetInTheNest during their sophom*ore years at the University of North Florida. Jamie was a UNF Brooks College of Health kinesiology major while Matthew was working toward a UNF Coggin College of Business finance degree. They were both attending BCM on June 15, 2021, and after hearing the message they went out to see the sunset, where Matthew introduced himself. Their first date happened moments later as they joined a group for dinner at Chick-Fil-A, then continued chatting in the parking lot well past closing time where Jaime gave Matthew her number. After a few group activities, Matthew finally felt it was appropriate for some one-on-one time, and asked her to join him for coffee, church and a walk at the park.
Their first official date was the following night at River and Post, followed by a sunrise at Ponte Vedra Beach where they shared their first kiss and made the relationship official. Over the past two years, this couple has made incredible memories together doing everything from visiting arts markets, sporting events, coffee shops and state parks, to kayaking, paddleboarding, ice skating, trampolining and mini golfing. On March 15, 2023, Matthew made one of the best memories as he surprised Jaime with a proposal while swimming with dolphins!
After celebrating Matthew’s graduation just 10 days ago, the couple did an elopement and honeymoon in the Virgin Islands, followed by a celebratory dinner with their families!
Matthew, who has been interning with Vanguard, was offered a job closer in their Charlotte office, so they’ll be making the move to the Tar Heel state to be closer to his family once they return. While Matthew was finishing up his degree, Jaime has been working as a physical trainer at the Ponte Vedra YMCA and Williams YMCA, and looks forward to finding a similar role up in the Queen City.
(Published 12/26/23)
They say once you find your inner peace, everything falls into place. Jarred D'Amico ('16) and Nicole Gengler ('16) #MetInTheNest in Spring 2015 while attending a class on The Philosophy of Zen Buddhism in the UNF College of Arts and Sciences. They both signed up for the same group project and found that in addition to their film minors, they had a lot more in common.
They began dating in the fall and spent the next few semesters taking more and more classes together until Jarred graduated in 2016. Nicole graduated the following semester and the couple happily transitioned to post-college life, enjoying trips to the mountains and attending music festivals together.
Jarred proposed to Nicole during a hike at Tallulah Falls in December of 2020. The couple just tied the knot outside Asheville this past month at Laughing Waters. They live in Jacksonville with their two cats, while Jarred works in the medical supply industry and Nicole returned to work for the University of North Florida foundation. Currently Jarred is working on his first feature film with the help and inspiration of Nicole.
(Published 5/18/23)
MetInTheNest Achievement Unlocked!
Clement Ebri, Jr. (’12) and Nadine Williams (’13, ’18) crossed paths at the University of North Florida back in the Spring of 2011. He was at the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC studying Computer Information Technology, while she was in the UNF College of Education and Human Services majoring in Elementary Education. Despite their vastly different majors, they would find common ground through gaming. She’d be playing pool in the UNF Game Room and notice Clement was deeply focused in his video games. Regardless of the challenge, they both shared a competitive streak. He lived off-campus, so they would spend their time between classes playing pool, ping pong and various video games.
In the Summer of 2011, Nadine achieved one of her biggest wins when Clement asked her to be his girlfriend. Following her graduation, they decided to get married. Given Clement’s Nigerian background and Nadine’s Jamaican roots, they opted for a cultural fusion in their wedding celebration. There was a vibrant mix of African dances, Jamaican steel drums and American tunes, reflecting their individual cultures culminating in the love they share.
After several years of travel and discovery, they welcomed their daughter, Clementine, in 2019. Their journey that began with a shared love of gaming expanded into their professional lives. Clement is a website and game developer, while Nadine works as the Global Education Community Manager for Minecraft. While they are professionals in the gaming industry, they still manage to find joy in gaming, competing in chess and other games while reminiscing about their initial encounters and celebrating the journey they’ve embarked on as a family.
(Published 11/3/23)
For these two Ospreys, it was love at first spike!
Sarah Esguerra (‘15) and Robert Esguerra Jr. (‘16) #MetInTheNest while playing intramural volleyball with UNF Recreation and Wellness. Both were collegiate athletes prior to attending UNF so they had a lot in common, but after being reintroduced by mutual friends, they went on their first date in 2015. The rest is history as they got married in November 2017 followed by a magical honeymoon to Kauai, Hawaii.
B.J. earned his degree in Sport Management from the UNF College of Education and Human Services and Sarah earned her dual degrees in Psychology and Spanish in the UNF College of Arts and Sciences. Following UNF Graduation, the couple moved down to St. Augustine. B.J. has coached basketball for the St. Johns County School District and became certified as a teacher. He just completed his 5th year teaching special education. Sarah also joined the UCF Alumni after earning her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work, and is a school counselor for St. Johns County. B.J. is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in order to move into school administration.
In January 2020, they brought home their first-born baby girl, Isla. And this past April, their family grew again with the birth of their second baby girl, Skye. They are forever grateful for UNF, intramural volleyball and their friends that connected them!
(Published 6/21/23)
Logan Filipowski ('16) and Sarah Filipowski ('16) #MetInTheNest in Fall 2015 at the UNF Coggin College of Business. Sarah was a Financial Services major while Logan double majored in Finance and Financial Services, and they both graduated in Spring 2016. However, they didn’t know each other well, and the last time they saw each other was in the backstage hallway right before UNF Graduation . While Sarah always thought Logan was cute, after some “investigative journalism” on social media (tough to track down since Logan uses his middle name everywhere), she added him only to see all his pictures with his girlfriend. Welp…
Fast forward to 2018, the newly single Logan saw a cute dog pic and slid into Sarah’s Instagram DMs. This led to increased conversation and, after both of them getting the go-ahead through a mutual friend, joint plans for St. Patrick’s Day Weekend in South Florida. Well, the long-distance gap closed in 2020 when Sarah moved down south. The couple now lives together in Delray Beach with their two dogs, Duke (a 10-year-old yellow lab and the initial conversation starter) and Dash (a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd).
To celebrate Sarah's birthday in 2021, Logan took her on a special trip for a weekend getaway, which included a boat trip, a nice dinner at their first date restaurant and AN ENGAGEMENT RING! Last month, they got married in the Bahamas surrounded by their family and friends, and they want to thank UNF and a mutual friend for the introduction.
Sarah started with Raymond James as an intern and after 8 years with the company now holds the title of Certified Financial Planner, serving clients all over Florida. She also is the President of the Ladies Executive Golf Society of Boca Raton. Logan works for NextEra Energy Resources as a Senior Project Manager on renewables and celebrates 7 years with them later this year. He is also graduating from UF with his MBA this summer.
(Published 5/10/23)
You may have your plate full with love stories, but how about a side of Fryes to go with that?
Palmer Frye (’18, 20) and Emily Gansert-Frye (’18) #MetInTheNest during their second week of school in the Fall of 2013. He was in the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC studying mechanical engineering while she was a COAS student majoring in Biology.
One day after class, he came up to her and asked if she was ready for their upcoming pre-calculus quiz. She was more than ready but was intrigued by his request to study together. Later that week, they had a study session where she also learned about his passion for cars, bass guitar and his family. She quickly fell in love with his humor and quirky personality. They started dating April of 2014 and have been together ever since.
Since graduation, Palmer became a double Osprey after earning his masters in mechanical engineering and now works for a small government contractor based out of Orlando. Emily just graduated medical school at Florida State University this past spring and is pursuing an internal medicine residency back in Jacksonville.
While they’re celebrating a 10-year relationship, they officially tied the knot this past December. However, they’re excited to return home to the Nest and renew their vows at the place where it all started!
(Published 6/23/24)
Yeahhhh, it’s a party in the UNF! Elly Ben Simon (’20) was a political science major at the University of North Florida, minoring in sociology and economics, while Lee Giat (’20) was a UNF School of Communication student concentrating in multimedia production.
For 2 years, these Ospreys never met, despite mutual friends consistently trying to set them up. They finally #MetInTheNest when Giat threw a house party that Ben Simon attended. Long story short, the couple started dating, graduated from UNF, got married in 2023 and moved in together in the same house that hosted the party!
Elly Giat is currently a full-time nanny as she studies for the GRE, while Lee owns Flying Ostrich Media, filming commercials along with the award-winning Wright of Passage.
(Published 2/17/24)
Lacie Carr ('14) and Alex Goetz (’14) #MetInTheNest in 2010. After knowing each other for a couple of years, their friendship and countless study sessions blossomed into a relationship. During their time at UNF, their fondest memories include numerous trips around the Southeast with friends.
Lacie Goetz was an active member of Kappa Delta at University of North Florida and was a four-year cheerleader for the North Florida Ospreys before graduating from UNF Brooks College of Health with a degree in health education. After graduation, she went on to earn a second bachelor’s degree in nursing from the River City Rumble runners-up. Alex Goetz was an active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at UNF, served the student body as UNF Student Government Chief Justice, and graduated from the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction with a degree in Civil Engineering.
After graduation, they relocated to Orlando with their dog, Beau. They married in 2016 and recently began growing their family, welcoming John (age 3) and Charles (age 1). Lacie is now a Senior Nurse Manager at AdventHealth and Alex is the VP of Orlando Engineering for KPM Franklin.
They say love is a battlefield, and if that’s the case, these two Ospreys couldn’t be more prepared!
Kaysa Rilyn Goff and Logan Goff #MetInTheNest as part of the UNF Army ROTC back in 2018. The couple both got their undergraduate degrees from COAS in Criminal Justice (Kaysa in 2021 & Logan in 2022), though Kaysa stayed at UNF to become the first graduate of the CCEC- College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction Masters in Construction Management program in 2023!
After graduation, the pair moved to El Paso, TX and are now living the western life! They love to camp, hike and travel. They got married in March of 2022.
(Published 6/28/23)
Happy Valentine's Day Ospreys! Our 1st #MetInTheNest of the day is Emily McCall and Chase Grant.
In August of 2012, Emily had just transferred into UNF as a sophom*ore and was moving into the Fountains with random roommates. She didn't know a soul at UNF. One of her roommates took her on a campus tour and she stopped by her friend Chase's room at the Villages so he could help show them around. You can see their first pic taken together in the Osprey Hall parking lot.
Emily and Chase had become super close friends throughout their time at UNF and beyond, but it wasn't until the pandemic struck in 2020 that the two officially started dating!
(Published 2/14/23)
Gabe Grass & Saralyn Sapp officially met at the University of North Florida in the 2003 fall semester. They had taken several psychology classes but didn’t officially connect until their cognitive psych lab with 20 total students.
On the first day, Gabe was the second-last to arrive and got stuck at the last empty table. The instructor told the class the student sitting next to them would be their lab partner for the semester. Gabe looked at the empty chair next to him to see it snatched up by Saralyn also rushing in late. They got to know each other after he got her name and number (misspelled as “Sarah-Lynn” until he was corrected that it's Saralyn like Marilyn). He was hooked from that point forward.
They got married in December of 2004 at what is now Sweet Pete’s in downtown Jacksonville. They both graduated UNF in 2004 and attended graduate school at Virginia Tech, getting their Masters of Science in Human Development in 2005, then moved to Tallahassee for their doctoral studies. Gabe earned a Specialist in Education degree in 2010 and Saralyn eared her doctorate in Education Policy and Evaluation in 2014.
In 2015, they launched GrassLands Brewing Company – a community-conscious craft brewery – and operated it through 2019 before selling to a local brewery and moving back “home” to Jacksonville to be closer to family.
During their time in Tallahassee, they met and fell in love with their future daughter Cheyanne Imani-Grass, who Saralyn met through her volunteer work. Cheyanne officially joined their family in 2016.
Currently, Saralyn is the Chief Administrative Officer at Kids Hope Alliance. She also adjuncts for the UNF College of Education and Human Services, volunteers for organizations like Guardian ad Litem Florida First Coast and Girl Scouts Gateway Council and serves on boards and councils for Women's Giving Alliance, Leadership Florida & The River Club of Jacksonville.
Gabe is the director for Corporate Relations and Major Gifts at UNF and serves on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) First Coast chapter board. While he doesn't brew anymore, he actively represents UNF at JAX Chamber, JAX USA and Jacksonville Business Journal. He plans on pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership at UNF.
Cheyanne married her high school sweetheart in October and teaches children at DLC Nurse & Learn & Head Start, while completing her bachelor's in early education.
(Published 2/14/23)
Back in 2018, who would’ve guessed a Tallahassee girl and a Kentucky boy would become UNF’s newest power couple?
Callie Workman (’20, ’22) and Carter Hendricksen (’22, ’23) #MetInTheNest through North Florida Ospreys. The former a Beach Volleyball student-athlete. The latter a Men's Basketball newcomer. The only things they really knew about each other were their Osprey pride, their faith, and their commitment and dedication to their sport. Over time, they talked more, grew closer and realized how compatible they truly were. The duo began dating in December of 2019.
Since then, Workman helped lead her team to become the 2021 ASUN Beach Volleyball Champions. She made the All-ASUN team 3x, ASUN Honor Roll 4x, and finished with a UNF record 79 career wins. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and followed it up with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
Not to be outdone, Hendricksen led his team to the 2019-20 ASUN Regular Season Championship. He also made the All-ASUN team 3x, ASUN Honor Roll 4x, and finished 2nd in the UNF record books for points (1,651) and defensive rebounds (596). He earned his degrees in Sport Management.
While they both earned rings from their respective sports, there was one more still to come. Carter asked the question on July 8th and of course Callie responded emphatically with a YES!
Once July wraps up, the couple will be moving to Poland. Hendricksen continues to chase the dream of professional basketball, playing for Czarni to Wy, while Callie spends her time wedding planning and continuing to cheer him on from the sidelines.
(Published 7/18/23)
Allow us to introduce you to Joseph & Megan Hoeppner! They #MetInTheNest in spring semester 2013. Joey was on the 5-year master's track for Computer Science and worked as a tutor for the UNF School of Computing. Megan needed help with a project and Joseph was the tutor on duty that day.
The two of them became friends and somehow a bet was made that if he could beat her in Mario Kart, she would go on a date with him. Well during the end-of-the-year Ice Cream social, Joey stepped up in front of most of the School of Computing to challenge Megan to a race...and lost.
Luckily for him, he had a second chance. Over winter break, they texted and grew closer. They started officially dating in February '15, graduated in December '15, got engaged in February '16, married in April '17, and gave birth to a future Osprey in November '21!
(Published 2/15/23)
Some say love is the greatest adventure, but those people have never fallen in love while whitewater rafting!
Aya Ajjawi and Daniel Irazuzta #MetInTheNest on a UNF Eco Adventure whitewater rafting trip to Nantahala in North Carolina and Ocoee in Tennessee. Aya's roommate and Delta Gamma sorority sister was friends with Danny's twin sister Marci Irazuzta. On September 15, 2016, they all packed up into a car and made the drive that started their lifelong adventure together.
Danny says he knew Aya was the one when she jumped from their raft to another UNF raft and alligator rolled one of the other students into the water (also known as "pirating"). He said he knew he'd be safe with her in the event of a zombie apocalypse, (which as we all know is the truest test of a relationship).
6 and a half years later, they've just celebrated their son Qais' 1st birthday!
(Published 2/16/23)
As February starts to wrap up, we want to shoutout an alumni couple that was influential in the creation of the UNF Black Alumni Association and also happens to have #MetInTheNest.
Brandon Kolby Jacobs, a member of Iota Phi Theta earned his degree in the UNF School of Communication in the Summer of 2008. In the fall, he attended a Poetry Night where he and Stephanie Jacobs, a University of North Florida Psychology major and sister of UNF Gammas, met and started dating shortly after.
Flashforward to this day in 2019…Brandon pops the question to Stephanie during Black Alumni Week and she obviously says yes! They shot their engagement photos at UNF and got married at the Clay Theatre (owned by UNF alum Andrea Vallencourt).
In December 2021, they gave birth to Kameron Tau Richard Jacobs, and will be celebrating their 3-year wedding anniversary in July. Brandon currently serves as the President of the Advisory Council for the Black Alumni Association while Stephanie holds the role of Communications Lead.
(Published 2/23/23)
In today's story, the gym isn't the only thing that gets these Ospreys' hearts racing!
Shanleigh O'Dell ('17) was a UNF School of Communication student majoring in PR while Chris Kellum ('17) was in the UNF Coggin College of Business studying transportation and logistics. It wasn't until the last semester of college that they #MetInTheNest. If you've heard them tell the story, they met due to a mutual friend's beach workout, but the truth is that's just where their friends planted the seed of interest.
One night, O'Dell was at a bachelorette party in Miami while Kellum was in Costa Rica, and they both had a little "liquid courage." She started liking a few of his Instagram photos and he was quick to respond in the DMs commenting on her story. After they returned to Jacksonville, they made plans to meet up for the first time at Southern Grounds & Co. for some wine and tapas. This past month they celebrated their 6-year anniversary!
After graduation, they both applied and got hired to an airline based out of Boston. They traveled the country for three and a half years moving from Florida to Massachusetts to Virginia to New Jersey before ending up back in Florida. They now live with their two dogs, Kanga and Roo, and work 9-5 jobs while tackling their dreams in their spare time. Kellum is a social media entrepreneur and O'Dell is an aspiring author and podcaster.
(Published 2/24/24)
We’re 10 days away from our #BlessedInTheNest Osprey Vow Renewal, which gives us 10 days to share some of these fun stories highlighting UNF couples.
Amanda (’09) and Aaron Kotlarz (’09) #MetInTheNest their first day at UNF during Hicks Honors College orientation for Dr. Marnie Jones’ Coastal Forts course. However, it wasn’t until their final semester at the University of North Florida that they began dating.
After graduation, Aaron joined the U.S. Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer and they quickly married later than year. Through six moves across the country and world and the addition of two wonderful children, their love for each other remains strong and deep 15 years later. We’re excited to welcome the Kotlarz family back to the Nest for this special event!
(Published 6/18/24)
Lindsey Maxson (’10) and Alex Lazowick (’10) were seemingly from two different worlds. Lindsey was studying English in the College of Arts and Sciences while Alex was in the UNF College of Computing, Engineering and Construction - CCEC Civil Engineering program. However, before they both crossed the graduation stage, they were lucky enough to have #MetInTheNest during their senior years.
Following UNF Graduation, they moved down south to Parkland where Alex started working for The Keith Team design firm in Pompano Beach. They got married in 2014, and now raise their two kids, 8-year-old Lucy and 6-year-old Ryan.
This alumni couple, along with their two future Ospreys, will be returning to the Nest to celebrate a decade of marriage during our Osprey Vow Renewal!
(Published 6/20/24)
We’ve already highlighted their beers in our #LocalBusinessShowcase, but there was something else brewing with these two COAS psychology majors that we’re focusing on today as we kick off this year’s #MetInTheNest stories!
Natalie Hofmann (’12) was an undergraduate student at the University of North Florida doing research while Aaron Leedy (’08, ’12, ’24) was completing his program at The Graduate School so they’d often pass by each other in the hallways.
The first time they officially met was when Aaron walked into a research meeting and said, “Hey guys, there’s a keg party at my house tonight and you should all come!” Aaron had just started homebrewing and was excited to show off a new brew he was experimenting with. Natalie, of course, didn’t know this and just assumed he was a party guy looking to go wild, so she did not show up.
Over the years, a number of people had tried to set them up, only for Natalie to respond, “I know Aaron Leedy, and I don’t want to date Aaron Leedy.” Aaron’s sister actually went to middle school with Natalie and was rooting for the two to pair up. As if that wasn’t enough pressure, Natalie remembers talking to this nice woman at a wedding shower who she really hit it off with, only for this woman to end the night trying to set this beautiful, single lady up with her handsome, single son, Aaron Leedy.
She finally stopped fighting fate and hung out with Aaron who, to her surprise, was nothing like she had initially pictured. He was really nice and funny – radically different from the first impression she had of him. They started dating in 2012 and ended up engaged in 2013.
You already know how this story ends… Aaron was in his office talking with an engineering major and mentioned that he and his wife just purchased a house in Springfield, only to learn that this guy’s best friends live on the same block. Aaron and Natalie get in touch with Ryan and Brianna and become friends, discover that they’re all craft beer fans, and the rest is Historically Hoppy Brewing Company history!
(Published 2/14/24)
Some folks go their lives waiting to meet the person of their dreams, so when these two Ospreys met early on, they really Luk'd out!
Gabriela Rodriguez (’17) and Mark Luk (’16) #MetInTheNest early during their freshman year. Gabriela was living in The Crossings and wasn’t the most social person, so by the third week of the semester she only had one close friend on campus. This friend was in the Hicks Honors program and lived in a different Crossings building. One day, they went to the cafe for lunch when one of her friends’ Honors classmates, Mark, decided to join them. As soon as she saw him, she knew she wanted to “pursue him,” but because of this, she was apparently so nervous she stayed silent, kept looking down and couldn’t keep her hands steady enough to allow her peas to stay on her fork.
After lunch, they parted ways, but whenever she walked through campus she hoped they would bump into each other again and become friends. As it turned out, he actually lived in the same building as her right across in the atrium. When she learned that, she spent many evenings studying in the atrium, hoping he would join. During movie and game nights in the Crossings lounges, she would nudge the others to extend him an invitation….and eventually he took them up on it!
For five months, they were like schoolchildren, scared to tell each other how they felt even though by then everyone knew they were interested in one another. One day, while goofing off in the atrium with their friends, he asked to give her a hug, which felt like it lasted 10 minutes. That was the pivotal moment when they both knew this was something serious and worth going after, when they realized they could be goofy and playful together, even with friends and strangers around.
They began dating in February 2014 and married in February 2019. To this day, he still makes fun of her for fumbling her peas at lunch and she still makes fun of him for their 10-minute hug. We’re excited to celebrate their 5-year-anniversary (and 10 years together) back at The Nest. “Thank you to the University of North Florida for being the place where I found my happiness, my future, and my love!”
(Published 6/22/24)
John and Jessica Lumpkin #MetInTheNest at a UNF Black Student Union event in Spring ‘07. John was a Jazz Studies undergraduate major who graduated in 2007 and Jessica was a Psychology undergraduate major who graduated in 2008. It did not take long for the two to fall in love and marry in June 2009. John and Jessica are embarking on 14 years of marriage with three beautiful daughters, Janelle, Jordyn and Julia, who they give all glory to Jesus.
John is a successful entrepreneur with two nonprofits, John Lumpkin Institute and Jazz Discovery Series. Jessica is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor specializing in child and adolescent counseling with a private practice, Imperfectly Perfect Counseling Services.
(Published 2/26/23)
Just because Valentine's Day is over doesn't mean we're finished. We've got so many #MetInTheNest couples we're going all week long!
Next up we've got David & Amy Clay McAllister. Both business majors, they met junior year in a logistics class through a mutual friend. They quickly became friends, then started dating, and now are celebrating 13 years of marriage with 2 beautiful children. Best of all they still keep in touch with many friends from UNF that they still spend time with.
(Published 2/15/23)
Sometimes a baseball player steals a base. Other times, he steals your heart.
Alex Merritt (’17) and Shannon Merritt (’15) #MetInTheNest at the Fountains on their very first day at University of North Florida during the summer of their freshman years. Although it wasn’t love at first sight, they did build a great friendship that turned into a relationship 2 year during the summer of their freshman years.
The infielder for the North Florida Ospreys baseball team earned all-conference honors and hit over .300 during his four seasons with the program, and even before they started dating, Shannon would rarely miss a game. She earned her nursing degree from the UNF Brooks College of Health while Alex earned his business management degree from the UNF Coggin College of Business.
The couple got married in 2019 and now have a 15-month old son. We look forward to watching them cross home plate to renew their vows!
(Published 6/26/24)
We’ve told plenty of stories about alumni couples who #MetInTheNest during their time at University of North Florida, but Joey Garrett (’17) and Hunter McKinley (‘17) weren’t about to waste a second!
These two Ospreys actually met on the very first day of college as Fall 2013 freshmen. They were both in the UNF Housing and Residence Life Business Living-Learning Community, so they moved in a week early for the fall semester, and they lived right next door in the Osprey Crossings. They instantly became best friends and started dating by December.
Garrett graduated from the UNF College of Education and Human Services with her bachelor’s degree in Special Education before earning a master’s in Higher Education Administration from University of Pennsylvania, and she’ll be walking across the University of Florida graduation stage next month as she finishes her Ph.D. in Special Education.
McKinley graduated from the UNF Coggin College of Business with a marketing degree and started a company called Yac, a voice messaging platform for remote teams. After raising over $10 million for it, he founded a new company, Backtrack, which features an AI sales assistant that helps tradeshow exhibitors close more deals with backwards recording and automation. He also serves as an advisor to the City of Jax for Small & Emerging Businesses.
Yesterday, they celebrated their third anniversary of marriage in Gainesville where they live with their dog Jackson, named after both their favorite Baltimore Ravens QB and the city where they first met!
(Published 4/18/24)
Let’s introduce you to Candice Middlebrook and Marc Middlebrook, who met at University of North Florida in 2009. Candice was a founder of the UNF Gammas while Marc was a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, although their paths crossed at Osprey Crossings due to a mutual friend. Candice earned her degree in Health Administration while Marc earned his in Education.
After graduating in 2012, the pair got married and recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary in Paris! Candice has gone on to work for Brooks Rehabilitation, Florida Blue, the Womack Army Medical Center, and now the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), while Marc is active duty in the army. They have two wonderful children, Amira and Xavier!
(Published 2/23/23)
Last but certainly not least, after getting married on June 29, 1974, Philip (’75, ’19) and Lotonia Mobley (’76) are joining us to celebrate their 50th anniversary and renew their vows with their Osprey family.
Phil received his bachelor’s degree in math science from the University of North Florida, then earned an MBA at our crosstown rival in Arlington, but thankfully came back home to The Graduate School to earn his doctorate degree in Education Leadership. Toni finished a year after Phil, earning her degree in psychology from the UNF College of Arts and Sciences.
For many years, Dr. Mobley was active in the Jacksonville community. He served on the Board of Directors of UF Health Foundation and Hope Haven Children's Advocacy Center and was chair of the Jacksonville Housing and Community Development Commission. He has held key leadership positions on other boards, such as Family Support Services, OneJax, Jacksonville Urban League, Leadership Jacksonville, the National Conference for Community & Justice, and of course the UNF Alumni Association. Toni was also very active in the Jacksonville community, retiring as a longtime member of the Duval County Public Schools Board.
After relocating back to Lake City, they continued their community involvement by serving with the Suwanee Valley United Way and the Community Advisory Board for the Columbia/Hamilton County Health Department.
Currently, Dr. Mobley works as NorthStar Family Resource Center manager and is the Senior Minister of the Northside Church of Christ, located in Lake City. He also serves on the advisory board for the Richardson Community Center and is on the board of directors for the Columbia County Senior Services.
Please join us in wishing our Osprey couple the happiest of anniversaries!
(Published 6/28/24)
Have you ever walked past someone so incredible that for a moment you start daydreaming about traveling the world together? Well for Brian Murphy, that dream actually became a reality.
While attending the University of North Florida as a freshman, Brian would pass by this girl in Parking Lot 18 carrying her UNF Zetas bag, but never got her name. As a brother of Sigma Chi - University of North Florida, he always hoped he’d have the chance to talk to her at a UNF Fraternity & Sorority Life event, but unfortunately it never happened.
Flashforward 2 years later…it’s Move In Day and Brian and his roommate just finished helping their fraternity sweetheart move into her new apartment complex. Their apartment didn’t have cable yet, so she invited the two guys to stay over and watch Entourage on HBO. That’s when her new roommate walked in and introduced herself, who as unbelievable as it sounds happened to be “Parking Lot 18 Girl."
So while they crossed paths in 2007, Brian Murphy and Kimmy Giang officially #MetInTheNest in 2009, became close friends and eventually started dating. They love to travel and ended up tying the knot in Ireland in 2017. Since college, they have moved around quite a bit, but are now living in Montclair, NJ with their dog Nala. Brian is putting his UNF School of Communication degree to work as a Senior Product Manager for Terumo Medical, while Kimmy is a nurse practitioner specializing in plastic surgery and works in both NYC and New Jersey.
(Published 3/13/23)
Haley Nesto and Cole O’Hallaron #MetInTheNest through a mutual friend sophom*ore year. While they both graduated in Spring ‘21, they took very different paths to walking across the stage, with Haley earning bachelor’s degrees in English and Art History and Cole earning his in International Business. There wasn’t much overlap in their curriculums, but they did accidentally end up taking same Spanish class 2 years after they started dating. For their classmates, this seems like an odd couple dynamic, as Haley is an overachiever while Cole was much less interested in the lessons. However, outside of the classroom they share almost all the same interests. They both love the same type of music, cooking, surfing (Cole was a member of UNF Surf Team & Club), camping and spending time outdoors.
If Haley looks familiar to you, that’s because she serves as an Alumni Services coordinator for UNF, so if you’ve been to any event in the past year, you’ve likely met her. She is also completing her M.A. in English. Cole works for AGX Freight and plays guitar and drums for the band LIZA ATTIC. They’re raising two cats, Atticus and Puma, and are planning to move in together next year, preferably at a spot close to the beach.
(Published 2/15/23)
Benjamin Orkins (’21) and Ally Moyer (’22) grew up in the same hometown but met during high school when they both discovered they had interest in attending UNF. They happened to tour campus with UNF Admissions on the same weekend in 2017 and realized how much they had in common.
While Ben enrolled in the University of North Florida Psychology program, Ally actually started her college career at Indiana University planning to major in Jazz Vocals. She quickly realized that Psychology was the path she wanted to pursue and transferred to UNF, reuniting with Ben. After moving back to Florida, the couple strengthened their relationship, meeting up after classes on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Osprey Clubhouse Pita Pit or the UNF Student Union Panda Express.
The couple ended up dating all throughout college before Ben graduated in the Summer of 2021. Ally finished up soon after in December 2022, and that next summer Ben took her to San Francisco for a well-earned vacation, and a proposal!
Currently, the duo lives in the Riverside area. Ally is a local schoolteacher for Duval County Public Schools, while Ben works for ProCare Therapy. They’re planning their wedding for this upcoming June and are excited to celebrate with their wedding party consisting of many amazing Ospreys they also met while in the Nest!
(Published 2/15/24)
Many Ospreys come to campus hoping to find that special person. Luckily for Karina Person (’09, ‘14), sometimes the perfect Person finds you!
In 2004, she was a freshman in the UNF School of Music. In front of the former Sbarros, she #MetInTheNest a friend of a friend, Terry Person Jr. (’14). They quickly became good friends, and after she returned from a study abroad trip to Paris, they started dating.
The couple got married in 2011. She then returned to The Graduate School to earn her MBA, while Terry completed his bachelor’s in Sport Management from the UNF College of Education and Human Services. While the couple still lives in Jacksonville, we’re excited to welcome them back to campus 20 years after their initial meetup!
(Published 6/24/24)
Here's a fun #MetInTheNest. Austin and Alison Pike met at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Austin wanted to get to know Alison better, but Alison spent most of her time studying, so Austin decided to study too. Their friendship and relationship started blossoming on the 4th floor of the UNF Library with many of their conversations consisting of whispers on the silent floor.
Not only did their relationship strengthen, but so did Austin's grades. He earned a Bachelor's of Sports Management in 2016 and a Bachelor's of Business Administration in 2020, while Alison completed her Bachelor's in Science of Nursing in 2017.
Valentine's Day is a special day for this couple as it's also Alison's birthday!
(Published 2/14/23)
Robin Pupo (’20) and Gabriella Dominguez (’20) are a match made in heaven. They grew up in the same church community, but never had the opportunity to get to know one another. While Pupo would be walking around the University of North Florida campus, this random girl would occasionally pop out of the gray lot and say hi to him. He remembers thinking “who the heck is this girl?” It wasn’t until one day he was joined by his friend Laura who noticed that “Gaby from church” was waving at them.
After they officially #MetInTheNest, they got to know each other a little better, and then in Fall 2018, Pupo walked into his Spanish class and there she was. He and Dominguez became study buddies, which lead to friends, which lead to lovers. As of May 2023, these best friends have been blessed with a wonderful marriage and are still living their best newlywed life.
Dominguez put those Spanish lessons to good use as she majored in Spanish and International Studies before working as a refugee social worker. Pupo wrapped up his Biology degree and became a pediatric ICU nurse for the Wolfson Children's Hospital.
We’ve got another ‘not quite’ #MetInTheNest but it’s too good not to share. Skylar Vogt (’23) and Carson Rich ('23) both graduated this past fall. She was a UNF Brooks College of Health nursing major, and he studied multimedia journalism in the UNF School of Communication.
They actually met in their hometown of Sanford, FL while working at the Chick-fil-A Seminole Plaza back in 2017. They started off as friends but started developing a relationship right before they were heading off to college in 2020. Vogt moved down to Boca Raton and started her studies at FAU while Rich stayed home taking his UNF courses online. Throughout the semester, since all her courses were virtual as well, she would consistently return home and spend time with him, defining the relationship at the start of 2021. Rich had been telling Vogt about the quality nursing program offered at UNF, and luckily, UNF Admissions had a spot for her to transfer in during Fall 2021. They’ve been together ever since, from weddings and Kappa Delta at University of North Florida formals and semi-formals, to getting their first dog and walking the UNF Graduation stage together!
To celebrate their graduation, the couple took a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains where Carson asked Skylar to marry him! She’s super thankful for University of North Florida being such a big part of their relationship, knowing that all of this might not have happened had he not convinced her to apply to the nursing program. While they plan their wedding for November, the pair signed the lease on their first house together last month, and Vogt looks forward to moving in following the wedding.
(Published 2/23/24)
He's one of the best fielders, but she’s the perfect catch! What better way to celebrate North Florida Ospreys Volleyball Senior Night and Baseball Alumni Weekend than with this love story!
Emily Strack Roberson (’14) & Ryan Roberson (’15) #MetInTheNest at a baseball party in 2013. Ryan was a 1st baseman for for the baseball team, leading them to an ASUN Conference regular season championship and being named to the all-tournament team as a senior, before completing his Criminal Justice degree. Emily was the first Osprey beach volleyball signee, leading the new program to three A-Sun titles and represented UNF in two AVCA Sand National Championship appearances. She also returned to The Nest as an assistant coach for both the indoor and beach volleyball programs from 2016 to 2021.
Nowadays, Emily works in the fashion merchandising department for Fanatics as a buyer for the NCAA. Ryan has been an outside salesman and account manager for Johnstone Supply HVAC, serving the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and Nocatee regions. They got married in Ponte Vedra in June of 2019 and purchased their dream beach bungalow that they’ve been fixing up ever since. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough, they welcomed twins Riley Grace and Blake Rae last month!
(Published 11/11/23)
Despite both of them taking classes at the UNF Coggin College of Business, Ryan Schneader (‘21) and Linda Morales (‘20) #MetInTheNest at a mutual friend’s birthday party. Afterwards, they started seeing each other more and more around the University of North Florida campus and at a few ADPi events before they started dating. They got married in February of 2022 and celebrated their honeymoon in Oahu.
Ryan earned his degree in Sport Management and currently serves as the Club Sports and Facilities Coordinator at UNF, and is also the Assistant Director of Youth Sports and Fitness Camps. Linda earned her degree in Business Administration and currently stays at home taking care of their new baby, Ryan Jr., born in December 2022!
(Published 6/15/23)
Nathan Shields and Tia Bauer (’23) met as freshmen in 2019. Bauer was working towards her degree in the UNF School of Communication while Nathan was pursuing his degree in the UNF CCEC: School of Engineering. Luckily, Tia’s dorm neighbor and Nathan grew up together in the same schools, so they got introduced. They quickly hit things off, but this was right before fall break, and shortly before everything shut down due to the pandemic.
Shields was forced to go back to Orlando while Bauer moved back home to Georgia. Though they were separated by distance, they were united as Ospreys. They kept in touch and they rented an AirBnB in Jacksonville together for their post-COVID meetup. They were able to get together again to celebrate Bauer’s 20th birthday, when after a year together, they realized this would be their forever partner. As things returned to normalcy, they were able to go on more dates, like this senior year skate at the Community First Igloo.
After graduation and having been together for over four years, Shields visited Bauer’s hometown with an engagement ring. They currently live in Athens, Georgia with their dog, Brady, and their cat, Patchy, both of whom were adopted from The Jacksonville Humane Society. They couldn’t be happier with their lives together and are beyond grateful University of North Florida helped them cross paths.
(Published 2/22/24)
Germaine and Shennette Sparkes: A story of Love & Basketball.
Originally from South Florida, Shennette made the trip up north while Germaine headed south from Georgia. The duo #MetInTheNest in 2006 playing basketball at UNF Recreation and Wellness and became great friends, but this rivalry-sparked friendship led to love. The pair graduated in 2010, and Germaine went on to work at Merrill Edge while Shennette worked for the Jacksonville Giants in addition to teaching.
In 2008, their lives changed after Shennette was diagnosed with Lupus. However, this diagnosis was not able to stop them from making a huge impact in the Jacksonville community. Germaine and Shennette went on to coach basketball in the local area, mentoring over 100 athletes while helping over 50 students-athletes receive scholarships, all while leading teams to District Championships and a Florida High School Athletic Association State Championship.
The Sparkes got married in 2014 and later that year welcomed their beautiful daughter Kyla. In 2020, they were blessed with their son Gabriel. Shennette is an author of two books, and she currently serves on the UNF Alumni Association Board. She was also one of the founders of the UNF Black Alumni Association.
(Published 2/28/23)
“When you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.”
Hannah and Benjamin #MetInTheNest in the fall of 2014 when they were sophom*ores at the University of North Florida. Hannah was teaching Benjamin's fraternity (Alpha Tau Omega at North Florida) a dance for the annual "Zeta Round Up" competition to raise money for her sorority (Zeta Tau Alpha at University of North Florida) philanthropy. Numerous 8-counts and dance routines later, their fraternity won the competition and Ben won Hannah's heart. The couple made it official in October of 2014 and have been going strong ever since.
Once Ben earned his accounting degree from the UNF Coggin College of Business and Hannah earned her public health degree from the UNF Brooks College of Health, she moved up to Philadelphia to attend PA school at Drexel and now works as a Family Medicine Physician Assistant for Millennium Physicians, while Ben works as an auditor for Ernst & Young.
Ben popped the question in June 2019 on the dock of her parent's backyard. Three years, two lovable corgis, one pandemic and a graduate degree later, the couple tied the knot this past weekend at the Oxford Exchange in Tampa, and you have to imagine their first dance was well choreographed!
(Published 5/23/23)
Cheyann Eder (’21) and Jake Stonecypher’s (’21) love for music brought them together in the heart of Osprey nation, cheering on the North Florida Ospreys volleyball and basketball teams. These two #MetInTheNest when they both joined the University of North Florida pep band in the fall of 2017.
Cheyann was a transfer student from Little Elm, Texas where she played clarinet in a competitive field of Texas bands. Music and sports have always been her hobbies, as she also played volleyball and basketball. However, her true calling to UNF was the UNF Coastal and Marine Biology Flagship Program, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Coastal Biology and a minor in Psychology.
Jake is from Bradenton, Florida and his love for music and teaching music blossomed in high school. He was drawn to UNF for its amazing music program where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the UNF School of Music . His love for sports continues as he has plans to study how music positively impacts an athlete’s performance.
They started dating in June of 2019 and together have traveled a lot, rescued and adopted 3 cats, and have big plans for their future!
(Published 8/23/23)
Speaking of Olympic RINGS, let's check in on our engaged Osprey alumni couple, Solimar Cestero (’22, ’23) and Jose Alejandro Visaez Febres (’21, ’23).
Cestero initially chose UNF to pursue athletics with the UNF Volleyball teams and academics with the UNF Brooks College of Health, while Visaez transferred in from Chipola College to join the UNF Coggin College of Business and continue playing baseball with the Ospreys. Visaez said, “Balancing school, work, and baseball was a challenge, but I am happy to say the sacrifice was worthy.”
As North Florida Ospreys student-athletes, Visaez and Cestero met through mutual friends, and after exchanging social media, they started to go on dates. “At first, it was difficult to adjust and balance sports, academics and social life,” Cestero said. “However, with the help of others, I was able to organize myself and find a routine that worked for me.” Their favorite memories as Ospreys were getting to travel around the country with their respective teams. Visaez earned his bachelor’s in business administration, then completed The Graduate School to earn his MBA, while Cestero earned her bachelor’s in health science before adding a master’s in educational leadership.
Visaez’s journey took him out to West Texas to play for Amarillo Sod Poodles Baseball. “Playing baseball under the Amarillo sky was definitively a once in a life experience,” he said. He was fortunate to have great hosts to make his transition seamless. While his baseball career has wrapped up, he currently puts his degrees to good use in the FinTech space as a financial analyst.
Meanwhile, Cestero’s career has taken her overseas to play professionally for Szent Benedek RA in Hungary. This allowed her to travel all across Europe playing matches in Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. “I was able to learn a lot from a different culture and I was able to compete with teammates from all over the world,” she said. She is currently traveling with the Puerto Rican national team and hopes to one day play closer to home.
Before an ocean separated these two love birds, they celebrated their engagement in Jacksonville. Once things become less hectic, they’ll work to solidify a date for their wedding in Puerto Rico.
(Published 7/15/24)
Some may say these two Ospreys are out of each other’s league – Celia Oswitch (’23) in the NFL and Jeremiah Wilson (’23) in the NBA – but we glad both of these all-stars ended up together.
Wilson started studying marketing at the UNF Coggin College of Business in 2019, working as a manager with the North Florida Ospreys basketball team while helping Brock Borgeson with their digital content. Oswitch transferred into the UNF College of Education and Human Services sport management program in 2021 and immediately joined the crew. The duo #MetInTheNest and became close working with all the games from Beach Volleyball to Women's Tennis and everything in between before they eventually started dating.
Jeremiah shipped up to Boston last year as he accepted a digital content specialist position with the Boston Celtics, while Celia remains in Jacksonville working in PR with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Luckily, there’s a direct flight from JAX to BOS so they’ve been able to visit each other during the occasional break from their busy sports' schedules.
(Published 2/16/24)
This October, Emily & Ryan Roberson weren’t the only athletes potentially bulking up the North Florida Ospreys future signing class, as there’s now another generation of Wilsons on Coach Driscoll’s radar in today’s #MetInTheNest!
In the summer of 2013, men's basketball point guard Will Wilson IV (’14) and his friends decided to host a party, where he met Cari Whitmire, a volleyball, beach volleyball and women's basketball student-athlete. Off the bat, they bonded immediately over their mutual interests in sports, music and everything else in between. It didn’t take long for them to develop a deep friendship, which started the foundation of their relationship.
After graduating from the UNF College of Education and Human Services with his bachelor’s degree in physical education, Will moved back to his hometown of Vero Beach to teach and coach at his high school alma mater. Cari finished her senior year of volleyball but decided she wasn’t quite ready to wrap up her athletics career, so she joined the women’s basketball team for a season before graduating with her sociology degree from the University of North Florida.
The couple continued their long-distance relationship as Cari chased her law school dreams from UF, but it wasn’t too long until they both returned to Jacksonville where Will was able to continue teaching and coaching while pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership.
On New Years Eve of 2020, the couple were truly able to “ring” in the new year as Will proposed to Cari on the doorsteps of her parents’ home. They got married in St. Augustine in February 2022, where they currently reside. Will continues to teach and coach boys’ basketball at Tocoi Creek High School, while Cari serves as an assistant legal counsel at Fanatics.
They welcomed their son, William Henry V into this world on October 25, 2023, and are enjoying every second spent at home together. Will said, “UNF will always be a special place for our family, and we can’t wait to take William to campus to see all the Ospreys continue to succeed on the court and field!”
(Published 11/13/23)
Abby & Mitchell Zvaigzne were both attending the University of North Florida when they met at a Florida Georgia Line concert!
Mitchell's sister Marissa joined him and his roommate for the show. After they cleaned up their tailgate and were heading into the concert, Mitchell went to find Marissa to introduce her to one of his friends. However, after a few too many drinks he mistakenly went up behind who he thought was Marissa, but was actually Abby with a similar hair color and style, and turned her around to complete the introduction. Abby sensed Mitchell's immediate confusion and embarrassment and played along by introducing herself to his friend as Marissa, which led to them sharing many laughs throughout the night.
Mitchell started frequenting her and her roommates' house parties at “The Lake House” where he would make firewood deliveries and stoke the fire (but they both knew this was just an excuse to keep seeing each other). Well they fell in love and have been happily married for 3 years and counting!
(Published 2/13/23)
