#MichiganUnion: Michigan Athletics Power Couples on Valentine's Day
2/14/2021 9:00:00 AM | Baseball, Field Hockey, General, Ice Hockey, Men's Swimming & Diving, Men's Track & Field, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track & Field, Volleyball, Features
For Valentine's Day 2021, MGoBlue.com is featuring five Michigan Athletics "power couples" -- former student-athletes who were standouts in their respective sports and are now married:
- Tiffany Ofili and Jeff Porter (track and field)
- Rachel Gustin and John Piersma (swimming and diving)
- Stephanie Johnson (field hockey) and Erin Moore (volleyball)
- Whitney Taney (women's tennis) and Ryan LaMarre (baseball)
- Kylee Botterman (women's gymnastics) and Chad Kolarik (ice hockey)
Their impressive list of accomplishments is filled with team and individual championships among countless accolades earned during their time as Wolverines, and as one might expect, the success of these 10 student-athlete alumni has continued on following graduation, highlighted by postgraduate degrees as well as professional and Olympic sports careers.
At the University of Michigan, as legendary football coach Bo Schembechler once said, "Those who stay will be champions." Sometimes they also find a partner.
Jeff and Tiffany (Ofili) Porter
Q: Where do you live now?
A: We live in Canton, Michigan.
Q: What are your occupations?
A: Tiffany is a pharmacist for CVS and a professional track and field athlete for the U.K. Jeff works at U-M and is the sports administrator for men's and women's track and field/cross country. He is also director of student-athlete alumni engagement and oversees the premium seating program.
Q: Tell us about your relationship. How long have you been married?
A: We met in Ann Arbor when I (Jeff) was a junior at U-M and Tiffany was a freshman. We were both hurdlers on the Michigan track and field team. In May, we will have been married for 10 years.
Tiffany Ofili
- Women's Track and Field
- Five-time NCAA hurdles champion
- Helped U-M to two Big Ten titles (indoor 2006, outdoor 2007)
- Two-time U-M Female Athlete of the Year (2008-09)
- Big Ten Medal of Honor (2009)
- Two-time Great Britain Olympian (2012, 2016)
- U-M Letters: 2006-07-08-09
- Hometown: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Jeff Porter
- Men's Track and Field
- 2007 NCAA 60-meter hurdles champion
- Three-time All-American
- Three-time Big Ten champion
- Two-time U.S. Olympian (2012, 2016)
- Big Ten Medal of Honor (2007)
- U-M Letters: 2004-05-06-07
- Hometown: Somerset, N.J.
Q: Tell us about your family. What do you like to do together?
A: We have one baby girl (Chidera) who is now 18 months old. She is a ball of energy just like her mother. She loves to run and imitate both of us. Pre-COVID, we enjoyed going out to eat and going to the movies. Since COVID, we've been taking turns running after Chidera all day.
Q: What is your favorite Valentine's Day memory?
A: Over the years, Valentine's Day usually fell on a date when we were both competing. But one of the more memorable things that happened was in 2007, while competing at the Tyson Invitational (at Arkansas), we both ran great races against some of the best hurdlers around -- many were soon to be world and Olympic champions/medalists.
Q: How did Michigan affect your lives?
A: Michigan has left a lasting mark on our lives. Besides meeting each other, Tiffany graduated from the College of Pharmacy and won five NCAA national titles in women's 60- and 100-meter hurdles. The College of Pharmacy prepared her to excel in her career, and being at Michigan, she created lifelong friendships. For me (Jeff), Michigan introduced me to many great professors and mentors who I am still in contact with to help guide my career. Michigan also provided me the foundation which built my professional athletic career.
Q: Are you still competitive?
A: The competitive nature never goes away. We continue to compete in just about anything. From playing Monopoly to playing spades, there is no shortage of competitive games that go on in our house. Who wins depends on the game. I may or may not have broken an air hockey table because Tiff and the game were cheating.
Q: What does having been Michigan student-athletes mean to each of you?
A: (Tiffany) It was an honor and privilege to be a student-athlete at Michigan. I utilized so many of the resources, made some great friends, and found my husband. My family had the opportunity to see me compete close to home, and I was able to leave a positive mark on the program. I couldn't have asked for much more than that.
(Jeff) Being a Michigan student-athlete was a dream come true. Growing up, I was a fan of Charles Woodson and the entire Michigan football team. I love their swag and the way they played. Finally having the opportunity to wear the block M was so much fun. Like Tiff, I made a lot of friends, found my wife, and prepared for life after I left. I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
John and Rachel (Gustin) Piersma
Q: Where do you live now?
A: Cincinnati, Ohio
Q: What are your occupations?
A: I (Rachel) am a dermatologist. John is an internal medicine physician who runs his own practice. (Both were elected by their peers as "Top Docs" by Cincinnati Magazine 2020.)
Q: Tell us about your relationship. How long have you been married?
A: We met on day one of freshman year. We met in my dorm room in West Quad. We started dating later in college and got married right after we graduated undergrad. We've been married 22 years.
Rachel Gustin
- Women's Swimming and Diving
- 1995 NCAA champion (400-yard medley relay)
- Helped U-M to four Big Ten titles and 1995 NCAA second-place trophy
- 11-time All-American
- U-M Letters: 1994-95-96-98
- Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
John Piersma
- Men's Swimming and Diving
- 1996 U.S. Olympian
- Five-time NCAA champion (two individual, three relay)
- Helped U-M to 1995 NCAA championship and three Big Ten titles
- 1997 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year
- U-M Letters: 1994-95-96-97
- Hometown: Huntsville, Ala.
Q: Tell us about your family. What do you like to do together?
A: We have two kids, a 16-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. We all enjoy swimming for fun. We love having adventures traveling and seeing the world. We all enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities, especially if there is a lake involved. John and our son enjoy playing golf together. We live near our extended family and see them all the time.
Q: What is your favorite Valentine's Day memory?
A: Well, they are all memorable, aren't they? Seriously, our Valentine's Days are much less romantic than they used to be but surely more fun. Sweet treats, flowers, dinner with the kids. What else is there!?
Q: How did Michigan affect your lives?
A: Michigan had a huge impact on our lives. We lived in Ann Arbor for about 15 years and attended U-M for a combined total of 18 years of school! We both completed undergrad, medical school, intern year, residency at U-M. Both of our children were born at U-M Hospital.
We met and worked with so many people who helped shape us into who we are today. Our swimming experience with our coaches (Jon Urbanchek and Jim Richardson) were vital pieces of helping us "grow up" -- develop personally, academically and in the pool. And we are forever grateful for our medical education, which we think was among the best in the world.
Q: Are you still competitive?
A: We are both active and fit. John still swims for exercise, but we don't technically race anymore. We are definitely competitive with each other in a fun way when we work out -- especially during the pandemic, which forced us to work out together in our basement in our makeshift gym.
A funny story is that we feel like we are both in great shape, but swimming now is MUCH different than before -- we are slow! I think all of us remember what it felt like to swim fast, but now it is almost embarrassing how slow we are in the pool.
Q: What does having been Michigan student-athletes mean to each of you?
A: Being a Michigan student-athlete meant being part of something bigger and better than yourself. It is such a diverse group of people working to achieve similar goals -- academically at an outstanding university, and in the pool or on the field. There is a special bond between us all that, no matter when we see other athletes, we are able to connect and smile about the great times we had at Michigan.
Stephanie Johnson and Erin Moore
Q: Where do you live now?
A: We live in Brooklyn, New York.
Q: What are your occupations?
A: Steph is the director of marketing strategy and planning at the NFL. Erin is an athletic and team performance consultant.
Q: Tell us about your relationship. How long have you been married?
A: We both played at Michigan around the same time (1999-2003), so our friend circles overlapped quite a bit. Steph lived with some of my teammates. I hung out with field hockey players a lot. We went to each other's games, etc. Steph remembers us being friends; Erin thinks we were friendly acquaintances at best. We reconnected about five years ago at a mutual friend's wedding (who also happened to be a former U-M student-athlete). Then we navigated long-distance for a few years with Erin in D.C. and Steph in New York. Erin moved to Brooklyn in mid-2019. We made it through 2020 as a solid quaran-team and got married in a very small courthouse ceremony in November 2020.
Stephanie Johnson
- Field Hockey
- Starter on 2001 NCAA championship team
- Two-time All-American
- Two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2002-03)
- Three-time All-Big Ten first team (2001-02-03)
- U-M Letters: 1999-2001-02-03
- Hometown: Houston, Texas
Erin Moore
- Volleyball
- First U-M AVCA All-American (third team, 2003)
- Two-time All-Big Ten first team (2002-03)
- Two-time team captain (2002-03)
- Helped U-M to three NCAA Tournament appearances
- U-M Letters: 2000-01-02-03
- Hometown: Tiffin, Ohio
Q: Tell us about your family. What do you like to do together?
A: We have two pups, Miles Wallace Johnson (10 years old) and Scout A. Potamus Johnson (9 months old). We are lucky to have one of Erin's brothers, his family, close to us in Brooklyn so we hang out with them quite a bit. Steph's immediate family is in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Houston, Texas, and Erin's is here and Ohio, so we're looking forward to seeing and celebrating with them sometime this year (fingers crossed).
We like to get outside for adventures and spend time with family/friends. We became better cooks in 2020 and are enjoying that challenge. We read a lot (in drastically different genres: Steph prefers summer beach novels and business books, while Erin is drawn to crime fiction and psychology/leadership). We also try to stay fit so we can keep testing all the pizza and donut places in Brooklyn.
Q: What is your favorite Valentine's Day memory?
A: If we're being honest, we are not a huge Valentine's Day couple. This one will be our first one together without business school (Steph graduated with her EMBA from U-M's Ross School of Business in April 2020) or work travel, so we'll probably order in, kick our feet up, and toast to being wives.
Q: How did Michigan affect your lives?
A: We both found friends who feel like family and learned so many lessons in our four years (four and a half in Steph's case). Ann Arbor gave us the space, the tools and the challenges to become who we are. It provided such an amazing foundation for our paths and eventually helped us find each other again, too.
Q: Are you still competitive?
A: It's mostly situational. Steph's competitiveness has mellowed a bit, while Erin's perhaps has not. We've started playing tennis, and Steph approaches it with a "let's just go hit around and get a good sweat" mindset, while Erin keeps a running score in her head, if not out loud. If you ever saw Erin play at Michigan, you understand how we may have lost some tennis balls over the fence when things aren't going great -- we affectionately call it "Hulk Mode." Other than that, we are each other's biggest cheerleaders and most ardent supporters.
Q: What does having been Michigan student-athletes mean to each of you?
A: Some of our most significant memories and accomplishments happened at Michigan, with our teammates, coaches and friends. We loved being immersed in a community of people driven to train, compete and win at the highest level. Having the immense privilege of representing Michigan athletically, we also have the nearly involuntary "Go Blue" greeting when we see anyone wearing the block M. Those who know say it back. We both found a second home in Ann Arbor, and even though we're not sure when we'll be able to get back, know we're cheering always and forever, Go Blue.
Ryan and Whitney (Taney) LaMarre
Q: Where do you live now?
A: Currently we live in Jupiter, Florida. We originally came down here for Ryan's job and have been in Jupiter for four years now. It's a hidden gem on the east coast of the state, and we love it here. It's a great community with all the wonderful Florida features.
Q: What are your occupations/occupations held since graduation?
A: Whitney was the associate head coach for the women's tennis team at the University of Minnesota for five years. Ryan has been playing professional baseball since 2010. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and has since played for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs and now with the New York Yankees. We were doing a long-distance relationship while Whitney was coaching for the Gophers. Once we got married we wanted to start married life together and be with each other full-time.
Whitney Taney
- Women's Tennis
- Graduated as U-M leader in career doubles wins (114)
- Helped U-M to two Big Ten titles (2010-11)
- Three-time All-Big Ten honoree (2008-10-11)
- 2010 NCAA Doubles Championship participant
- U-M Letters: 2008-09-10-11
- Hometown: Edina, Minn.
Ryan LaMarre
- Baseball
- Two-time All-Big Ten (2009-10)
- Helped U-M sweep 2008 Big Ten and Big Ten Tournament titles
- Drafted by Cincinnati Reds (2010, second round)
- Made MLB debut in 2015
- U-M Letters: 2008-09-10
- Hometown: Jackson, Mich.
Teddy LaMarre
Q: Tell us about your relationship. How long have you been married?
A: We started dating in the spring of sophomore year in 2009. We met through some mutual friends and hit it off immediately. We always loved supporting and cheering for each other at our tennis matches and baseball games. We got married on New Year's Eve in 2016. We just celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. At our wedding, we had many of our teammates, coaches and college roommates there to celebrate our special day with us. We even had an ice sculpture of a block M at our wedding.
Q: Tell us about your family. What do you like to do together?
A: We just had a baby boy, named Teddy, on January 3, 2021. He is a gift from God, and we are so excited to start this journey of parenthood together. We travel a lot during the summer with baseball. In the offseason, we love spending time with family and friends. We are always watching and going to sporting events. We love to cook and try new restaurants; we are foodies. Now with our new addition, we love spending time together as a family and have been getting into a nice routine with him. He has brought so much joy to our lives.
Q: What is your favorite Valentine's Day memory?
A: During spring training 2019, we were in Orlando with the Atlanta Braves. We spent Valentine's Day going to all the different Disney parks. The last park of the night was Magic Kingdom, where they had a special Valentine's Day event. We love Disney, so getting to spend a Valentine's Day there together was definitely memorable.
Q: How did Michigan affect your lives?
A: Michigan has affected our lives in so many unforgettable ways. Ryan proposed to me on the block M in the Diag. He planned the most incredible evening by surprising me with both of our families there in attendance. We all celebrated afterwards at our favorite Ann Arbor spots, the Chop House and the Brown Jug. We both loved our college experience, and we enjoyed everything Ann Arbor has to offer. It was an honor to wear the block M and compete for the University of Michigan. We have built lifelong friendships with our teammates and coaches. We truly bleed maize and blue and have so many special and wonderful memories we will cherish forever. A side note: our five-week-old baby has more Michigan clothes already than both of us combined.
Q: Are you still competitive?
A: We both are very competitive individuals. We don't compete too much against each other, but when we do team up, we are ultra competitive. Corn hole is a specialty of ours.
Q: What does having been Michigan student-athletes mean to each of you?
A: We both feel an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude to have been student-athletes at Michigan, where we competed at such a high level while also attending such a world-renowned academic university. The support staff and resources we encountered were first class. Michigan always does things the right way. It is an honor and privilege to be part of Michigan's alumni and its passionate community. Anywhere you go and are wearing Michigan apparel, you always have people shout "Go Blue." It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!
Chad and Kylee (Botterman) Kolarik
Q: Where do you live now?
A: Mokena, Illinois. The last seven years, while Chad was playing pro hockey overseas, we lived in: Linköping, Sweden; Omsk, Russia; Zürich, Switzerland; Mannheim, Germany; and Salzburg, Austria.
Q: What are your occupations?
A: Kylee is an account executive for an IT consulting company, Sogeti. Chad just recently retired from professional hockey. He played 12 season pro -- five in North America and seven all throughout Europe.
Kylee Botterman
- Women's Gymnastics
- 2011 NCAA all-around champion
- Helped U-M to four Big Ten titles
- Three-time Big Ten individual champion
- 2011 U-M Female Athlete of the Year
- U-M Letters: 2008-09-10-11
- Hometown: New Lenox, Ill.
Chad Kolarik
- Ice Hockey
- 2008 All-America second team
- 2008 All-CCHA first team
- Helped U-M to two CCHA titles and 2008 Frozen Four
- 2018 U.S. Olympian
- U-M Letters: 2005-06-07-08
- Hometown: Abington, Pa.
Q: Tell us about your relationship. How long have you been married?
A: My freshman year was Chad's senior year. One of my teammates was dating one of his teammates, and we just started hanging out. He proposed during my senior year, and we got married right after I graduated. This August we will be married 10 years!
Q: Tell us about your family. What do you like to do together?
A: We have one son, Christian (6), and a dog, Tucker (we got in him Ann Arbor the day before Kylee graduated). Christian is obsessed with hockey, and we spend most of our time at the rink for practices/games. We have a lake house in Michigan that we are at every weekend during the summer where we boat, fish and ski. We enjoy traveling and exploring the world together!
Q: What is your favorite Valentine's Day memory?
A: Our first Valentine's Day together was our first official date as boyfriend/girlfriend in Ann Arbor, at the Chop House! I ordered venison and Chad thought I was crazy.
Q: How did Michigan affect your lives?
A: We wouldn't have met if we both didn't go to Michigan! One thing we have always looked forward to post-retirement was coming to hockey games, football games and gymnastics meets as a family. Obviously that couldn't happen this year, but we are very excited to make that happen next fall and support our Michigan athletic community! Christian already knows the fight song and hopes to play at Yost one day.
Q: Are you still competitive?
A: We are very competitive with each other. Our son is as well; we're not sure where he learned it from!
Q: What does having been Michigan student-athletes mean to each of you?
A: We are so grateful for our time at Michigan; it is something that we will always be proud of. The bonds and memories made will last a lifetime. With the support of an amazing athletic community, we were able to learn and grow in our four years there, which helped us become successful in our lives today.
Are you and your spouse former student-athletes? Share your story with @umichathletics on social media using the hashtag #MichiganUnion.
