Zach and Kate are both graduates of Westfield State University's athletic training program and were two years apart in the program. Kate was completing her senior clinical rotation with the men's basketball team when Zach came back to watch a game and visit with some mutual friends. They both went out with the same friend group after the game, which was the first time that they would spend time together. This is one of their first pictures together!

Zach and Kate began dating in February of 2019. Kate graduated from Westfield State that May and had plans to move to Pennsylvania for grad school. At the same time, Zach had accepted a new job in North Carolina to start that summer - and so began long distance! Being six hours apart, Kate and Zach made the best of it and were able to see each other a few weekends throughout the school year - even if it meant long drives to see each other for less than 48 hours.

In May of 2021 Kate graduated with her master's degree and accepted a job in North Carolina. After surviving two years of long distance and a pandemic, they moved in together in Rocky Mount, NC to start the next chapter of their lives. Throughout the last three years they have rented a house, adopted two cats (Luna and Goose!), and worked together as athletic trainers at the same university for the last year.

Zach and Kate went on a trip to Asheville, NC as a Christmas gift to each other in January of 2024. On January 13th, 2024 Zach proposed to Kate while they were visiting the Biltmore Estate (which you can see in the background of this picture!). Kate obviously said yes, and it was a perfect weekend spent together - they felt so much love from their family and friends back home as they shared the news. They are so excited to start this next chapter together!