Northwestern University Athletics
Adam Hahn and Kevin Mims
9/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2008
A stereotypical look into a college student's home would probably feature empty pizza boxes laying around, dirty dishes and the occasional playing of video games. But for a pair of Northwestern defensive linemen, domesticated life has come a little bit earlier than for most.
Junior Adam Hahn and senior Kevin Mims both have the good fortune of having found their teammate for life as each of them have gotten married while still in college.
Hahn and his high school sweetheart, Sarissa, were united in marriage in their hometown of Hartford, Wis., on July 28, 2007. The two went their separate ways to different colleges following high school. While Adam accepted a scholarship to become a Wildcat, Sarissa enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She eventually transferred to Loyola University Chicago and the two were together on a regular basis once again.
"I wouldn't consider myself, even from the beginning, a typical college student with going out a lot and those kinds of things," Hahn said. "I've always stayed in. I've hung out with the guys, but I've never been one to go out a lot. It wasn't a big thing, and once she came down here to go to school, we spent a lot of time together then too. Having known her for a long time, it wasn't as drastic of a lifestyle change as one would expect."
The deviation from the normal free and independent single-guy lifestyle means Hahn has to put up with the occasional ribbing from some of his teammates.
"You hear all the different things about being `married man' and `old man' and all that, but I wouldn't change anything."
While most couples wait until college is completed to tie the knot, Adam says that marriage has continued to help him find some important balance and think about someone other than just himself.
"You have your life structured and you have it in a way where you know where you're going in life," he said. "I think it's a lot easier that way than maybe taking it one day at a time. You have a goal and you know where you're going.
"She's definitely my foundation. She keeps me on the straight path. She let's me know when I'm doing something right and she sure let's me know when I'm doing something wrong."
Though Adam still has one year of athletic eligibility remaining after this season (he's a senior academically), he says that he and Sarissa are interested in remaining in the Chicagoland area after they both complete their education. Sarissa is currently studying cognitive special education at Loyola, while Adam carries a major in economics and is interested in attending graduate school.
"We really like this area, so hopefully we can stay around here. There are a lot of openings for what she's doing in special education. There aren't a lot of candidates going into that field, so that will help. Chicago presents a lot of great opportunities."
While college briefly separated Adam and Sarissa Hahn, it brought Kevin Mims and his wife, Courtnie, together. In late summer of 2004, Kevin came to Evanston via The Woodlands, Texas, to play football while Courtnie (formerly Paulus) converged on NU from Cedar Grove, Wis., to be a member of the volleyball team.
The two met during preseason camp prior to their freshman year and ended up living one floor apart in the same dorm on campus. By the completion of the fall sports season their sophomore years, Kevin and Courtnie were dating and were engaged by November 2007. They were married this past July 19 in Houston with a number of Kevin's Wildcat teammates in attendance.
Being able to go home at night to someone who knows what it's like to be a collegiate student-athlete is a resource that Kevin feels fortunate to have.
"We trade stories all the time," he said. "She was the captain of the volleyball team last year and we talk a lot because a number of the issues that happen on a volleyball court are the same as there would be on a football field. We've been able to talk about a lot of things with her experience of being a team captain and my being on the Leadership Council, we're able to pass along a lot of leadership ideas to one another."
Kevin has even found time to surprise his new wife from time to time, like the day a few weeks ago when he came home sporting a mohawk that he and a handful of his defensive teammates decided to sport as a sign of unity.
"I had a hat on when I came home and she gave me a hug and said `hi.' She sat down at the computer, I took my hat off and came up from behind her and she turned and looked at me and screamed."
While the Hahns are looking to stay around the Chicago area in the coming years, Kevin and Courtnie are already well on their way to beginning their lives together in his native Texas once their time at NU is through. While the honeymoon had to be put off due to the start of the football season, the frame for their new home in Houston has already gone up. Kevin and his father, Mike, have started a company that produces mobile units for the ultimate tailgating experience.
Meanwhile, Courtnie, who is serving as a volunteer assistant coach on her former team this year, may look to continue her coaching career.
For both Adam and Kevin, the decision to get married at a still young age is something they certainly don't regret and has brought happiness and a sense of fulfillment to each of their lives.
"I guess the fact that there's always someone to come home to at night," said Hahn when asked about the best part of marriage. "You're not going home to an empty apartment at night. Whether you have a good day or a bad day, there's always someone there to talk to. There are great home-cooked meals all the time. It definitely has its advantages and I highly recommend it."
Who knows, this marriage thing just might catch on.
