Timing is everything.

For Cori Dyke and Jarod Crespo, being at the right place at the right time was everything.

Dyke and Crespo first met during Dyke’s senior fall semester at Penn State, just before winter break. Thanks to a shared social circle, including one of Dyke’s closest friends on the women’s soccer team, who was dating a Penn State men’s hockey player, the two crossed paths during a casual hangout.

“We just totally hit it off,” Dyke said. “It was right before winter break, so the timing was kind of crazy.”

That timing meant the two wouldn’t see each other again for nearly three weeks. But instead of pulling back, the distance only brought them closer.

The two spent winter break texting constantly, FaceTiming late, and getting to know each other without actually being together, which was a preview of what would come in the future.

“I think it was, like, really cool for us to, like, really get to know each other that in depth, well, not even like being together, because obviously we do long distance right now, and I think that kind of, like set the stage for that too, you know, like we were so good at communicating with each other, and that, like, formed our, like, the foundation for our future relationship.”

When the spring semester finally arrived, Dyke and Crespo made their first official date one to remember. Of course, it was Tadashi.

“I think one of the very first things we did was go to Tadashi, because classic, yeah, such a classic, cute, neat spot, yeah.”

From there, the relationship grew alongside their demanding athletic schedules. Crespo continued his career with Penn State men’s hockey, while Dyke balanced school and soccer before eventually going on to play professionally in Orlando.

“I think we’ve just been able to be so supportive of one another, and I think that’s really special, like, super supportive of each other’s dreams and goals,” she said. “And I think because we both are in that environment, like we understand that.”

Over the summer, the couple took a big step and went to look for rings. Dyke knew a proposal was coming eventually, but did not know when.

“I definitely had an inkling, because we, like, looked at rings together when he was here in Orlando over the summer. So I knew that there was a chance it would be, like, around Christmas time,” she said. “Yeah. “Of course, I’m always a little on edge, you know, like, oh, it’s gonna be now, I don’t know. But I didn’t know for sure that it was going to be that day. Like, so I was still very surprised.”

Despite the suspicion, Crespo was able to surprise Dyke and coordinate for her entire family to be there to celebrate.

“Yeah, it was sweet, and he got my whole family there without me knowing.”

Now they’re engaged and navigating long distance and cheering for each other as Dyke continues playing professional soccer and Crespo wraps up his Hockey Valley career.

“Oh my gosh, I miss him,” she said.