It’s Friday yet again, a day reserved for weekend preparations, lazy lounging on Old Main lawn, and another bout of Penn State Love Stories. Let’s kick off your weekend right — with the Penn State love that’s in the air.

This week’s installment features football players, surprise bat appearances, and multiple trips to the hospital.

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Anthony and Adrienne

He was a football player. She was a basketball player. It’s as simple as that, a match made in athletic heaven.

Anthony and Adrienne were both freshman when they met. After a mandatory post-practice study hall, the two decided, separately, to go to The Mix for a snack. While waiting in line to order food, Anthony noticed Adrienne and struck up a conversation. They dated ever since.

Although their time of dating was always encapsulated by practices and games, the couple made it work. “He used to attend all of my home games,” Adrienne said, “and I would do the same for him.”

A picture from their wedding, proudly displaying their separate sports.

Thank goodness football and basketball occupy different seasons — this way, the two were able to fully devote their offseasons to supporting the other.

Then, toward the end of their sophomore years, Anthony wanted to take Adrienne on a walk. He led her to the gazebo at the duck pond — “which is where he got down on his knee and proposed,” Adrienne recalled fondly.

Their wedding took place in Pittsburgh in the spring of 2008, after Adrienne had graduated and Anthony was finished playing football, and they have been happily married ever since. They now live in Indiana and own a fitness and sports performance training facility, putting their Penn State athleticism to good use.

With more than 10 years together, and three adorable children, this little Penn State family is as cute as can be.

The family during this year’s Easter egg hunt.

Congratulations to you all! We wish you many more years of happiness.

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Michael and Caroline

This couple had a bit of a serendipitous meeting — and they have Mother Nature to thank.

Mike and Caroline began working together as RAs in August 2012, living in Atherton Hall. Although they spent a lot of time together during the first week of RA training, they remained just friends.

However, one night, after Caroline had finished acquainting the new students with their dorms and she returned to her room, something was awry. She noticed something catching the light in her bathroom — a bat. After the bat was removed, it was suggested that she get rabies shots, just in case. Mike offered to drive her, as she was without a car and potentially rabies-laden, to the hospital.

He then proceeded to take her to all five rabies shots appointments — “and through the time spent at the hospital together, him learning my whole medical history, two more bat encounters in the following two weeks, and a total $20,000 in medical bills,” Caroline said, “he asked me out.”

(In case you need even more cuteness in your life, you should know that their residents referred to them as Mr. and Mrs. Atherton. You’re welcome.)

Mike and Caroline with the symbol of our best.

Their relationship has been full of hilarious oddities, like when Caroline planned to have an a cappella group serenade Mike in his biochemistry lecture on their first Valentine’s Day together, and Mike missed it because he left class early to get her a rose from the HUB.

However, as silly as some of their stories may be, the two have been dating for more than three years, and will both be in the midst of earning their PhDs at UVA in the fall.

Best wishes to the both of you! May life always be fun and may you always stay smiling.

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Phil and Liz

If only all our hayrides could end up this fortuitously…

Phil and Liz met at a post-hayride apartment party, where Phil had ended up with a broken wrist and Liz, being a nurse, was immediately drawn to helping him. She offered to drive him to the doctor’s office the following Monday, and they instantly became close friends. After Liz attended Phil’s frat formal, he officially asked her to be his girlfriend.

After Chipotle dates, 55 Days of Cafe, and a Mount Nittany hike, the two were certifiably a Penn State couple, and earned a nickname from their roommates — “Phliz.”

Their proposal is one that all Penn Staters dream of. Phil and Liz traveled to State College, under the guise of a simple visit, and because they were staying in the Nittany Lion Inn, Phil insisted upon a picture with the Lion Shrine.

Unbeknownst to Liz, Phil had orchestrated many of their Penn State friends to be waiting in the bushes behind Rec Hall, and, striving for the proposal to go off without a hitch, had been under a a good deal of stress since he had woken up that morning.

As Phil got down on one knee to propose, they were suddenly ambushed by all of their friends — but there was more.

“After tears of joy and celebration, I was told there was one more surprise. I got to our hotel room and Phil had made bar tour t-shirts — ‘We Are Engaged!'” Liz said. “It was perfect!”

The engagement bar tour shirts, in all their glory.

They are now slated for a wedding at Penn State in summer of 2016, complete with a ceremony at the Arboretum, a reception at the Nittany Lion Inn, creamery ice cream, and everything blue and white. Top secret mission: Get the Nittany Lion at the wedding. (Not really top secret anymore… Make it happen, Lion!)

Phil and Liz have been together for more than five years, and are still going strong.

The happy couple, at their happy place.

Congratulations on your engagement! Sending all the joy your way.

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Do you have a Penn State love story to share? We’d love to hear it!

All photos provided by the respective couples.