Romance was in the air at Catawba College's last home football game of the 2014 season on November 8. Two couples became engaged and the setting was Shuford Stadium.
The first proposal was well-planned and orchestrated when Uriah Futch '16, a trumpeter in the Catawba PRIDE marching band, showed up out of uniform and in a suit during pre-game activities, took the microphone from 2014 Catawba alumna Allison Andrews who was busy singing the college's alma mater, dropped to his knee, and proposed. A visibly surprised Andrews said, 'yes,' while the crowd in the stands looked on.
Why did Futch propose at the final football game of the season? He says because the two had met at Catawba, both really loved attending and are very involved in the life of the college. The stadium, he thought, would be the most appropriate place to publically solidify the relationship since it is on campus "at the place that brought us together."
The setting was also chosen, Futch admits, because it was a place that Andrews would not suspect. She was invited to sing the alma mater after the national anthem at the game and did not have a clue that Futch was working behind the scenes to orchestrate the Big Ask.
Without a lot of planning or orchestration, another couple also became engaged at Shuford Stadium on November 8.
Catawba wide receiver Shawn Galloway '15 popped the question to his girlfriend, Kayela Wilson '16, in the end zone after the game as the two were taking photos together. Galloway also got down on one knee, pulled the ring box out from under his jersey and asked Wilson to be his wife. She too was surprised and she too said yes.
And the final home football game of the season against North Greenville University? It was a winning proposal as well – Catawba said yes to a win over North Greenville.
