Match made in Beaver Stadium

Christine Wolfe and Nick Indeglio recall the road that led them to their future

It was the last home football game of the season. For many of the seniors in the Blue Band, on the Touch of Blue majorette line and on the cheerleading team, it would be their last time to perform in Beaver Stadium.

As Christine Wolfe (senior-marketing) walked from the pregame tailgate in The Bryce Jordan Center, many of the senior band members were upset -- they had just learned they would not be allowed on the field at halftime due to the rain.

Christine, who had been the Blue Sapphire since her freshman year, was among those who were unhappy. Seth Walk (junior-biology), the Blue Band drum major, remarked to her that it could turn out to be the best day of her life.

He was right.

The proposal heard 'round the stadium

What Seth knew, that Christine did not, was that within a few hours she would be engaged to her boyfriend of two years, Nick Indeglio (senior-elementary education), the Nittany Lion mascot. The proposal would be the result of almost three months of planning and secrecy on Nick's part.

"To do it that big, you have to have a plan," Nick said.

In August at the Penn State Blue Band camp, Nick approached Judy Lawrence, the feature twirler coach for the band "who has the biggest mouth," he said. He asked for help in talking to all the necessary people without Christine finding out.

During the next few months, the two met with the director of the band, got permission from Penn State Sports Information and drafted a script for the announcer to read at the game.

"I wasn't so sure it was going to work," he said.

But it did work. At halftime, Christine performed her fire routine on the field without the band while Nick and cheerleading Captain Jerid Lydic (senior-finance and international business) prepared the display of flowers surrounding the ring for the proposal. As she was twirling, the end zone was crowded with cheerleaders, band members, the media, and although she did not see them, her parents.

When Nick removed his mask to receive the crowd's recognition as the Lion in his final performance, Christine realized what an emotional moment it was for him.

"She turned around with tears in her eyes," Judy recalled. Judy then urged Christine to give her boyfriend a hug. Christine was about halfway to Nick when the announcer switched to the script that Nick had prepared.

As Christine realized what was about to happen, her tears switched from tears of sadness to tears of joy. Although she has seen numerous pictures and a videotape since that day, Christine said she doesn't remember a thing.

Several people have asked Christine if she was upset that the proposal was made so public, but they both said Beaver Stadium was a natural environment for them. Although the video and pictures show a large crowd, Jerid said it seemed as though the two were completely alone.

The eye of the Lion

After two years as the Lion and one year as a cheerleader, Nick is quite comfortable being in front of large crowds.

Nick became a cheerleader in his sophomore year, but had no previous experience.

"I did powder puff my senior year, but that's it," he said. "I don't think that is comparable."

In high school, he ran cross country and track but gained 30 pounds in his senior year when he got mononucleosis.

Because he had been so active in high school with student government and sports, Rita Indeglio was not surprised when her son decided to try out for the position of the Nittany Lion mascot, but she was still affected when she saw him rile up the crowd.

"When I saw him down there, all I could think of was my little kid clinging to my leg," she said.

Many would say Nick is a little kid at heart. In his living room, Leonard, a life-size model of the Lion from an art class, sits on a chair -- moved from his original position on the couch holding a beer as he did in Nick's old apartment.

"We scared ourselves sometimes when we walked in," said Nick's roommate of two years, Karl Funseth (senior-elementary education).

Leonard resides next to a box full of action figures that Nick's friends would sometimes pay a dime to see wrestle.

"It was like pay per view," Nick said.

Despite his fun-loving nature, Nick can switch from childlike to serious in seconds, his friends said. Part of that switch comes from the time pressure and demands of his position as the Lion -- including more than 200 performances in his first year.

"No one sees all the work that goes into it," he said.

The experience hasn't made him a complete cynic, though. He still plans on pursuing his true dream of being a professional wrestler.

"It's one of those times when you have a dream and you just want to chase it for a while just to say you did," he said.

From "pixie" to Sapphire

Christine never thought she would be the Blue Sapphire for four years.

"My goal was to make the majorette line," she said.

That accomplishment was the result of more than fourteen years of dedication to her twirling.

Most people described her as dedicated to everything that she does.

Although she started twirling for fun, Christine's dedication and talent soon led to success in competitions and a decision at age 14 to switch coaches and dedicate the money she earned. "That was the point in my life when my parents were like, 'OK, if we're going to do this, do it right,' " she said.

Although there have been some times when she missed having the time to hang-out, Christine said she continued twirling in college, where it is more performance-oriented. Her friends and coach Judy, who calls Christine a "little pixie," said her dedication still shows.

"I just knew she had what it takes to build excitement in the crowd," said Linda Brown, her first twirling coach, who still stays in touch with her.

One member of the crowd is more than excited when he sees Christine perform as the Blue Sapphire.

"It still brings tears to my eyes," said Gerald Wolfe, who has missed only one of his daughter's home football game performances in four years.

Now he can see her in more than one performance. When Nick was trying out for the Lion, Christine was trying out for the cheerleading team, which she has been on for the past two years.

Her coaches and her family have been supportive of her decision as long as it doesn't get in the way of her grades and she can maintain her health. Time management skills have allowed her to do both and modesty has allowed her to do both quietly.

"It was funny," Christine said. "After we got engaged, everyone was like 'Congratulations Lion' and I was in a cheerleading costume so no one knew who I was."

Lion meets Sapphire

Sometimes first impressions really do last. Nick said he still remembers his first meeting with Christine and the unusual shoes she was wearing. She was wearing warm-ups with warm-up shoes that he described as Keds.

"She introduced herself to me," he said of their initial meeting at a tailgate before the Rutgers game during the 1995 football season.

"Which is so unlike me," she interrupted.

Mutual friends helped expedite their relationship. His friend and current roommate was friends with her current roommate. Although they both said that at this point neither had a crush on the other, Nick traveled to Altoona for a performance before the Ohio State game to see his friends cheer and to see his new friend, Christine.

"That is to date the worst performance of my life," she said. Seeing Nick there caught her a little off-guard as well.

Shortly after that game they went on their first date -- to see the movie Seven, which is about a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins. Nick picked out the movie because he said Christine was completely indecisive.

"That should have been the first warning signal," she said.

But Christine was not warned enough. The couple has made it through family sicknesses, busy schedules and one breakup.

"They complement one another," Jerid said.

Behind the scenes

In the background of the videotape of the proposal, a woman can be heard yelling "You two make me nauseous."

People's perceptions of what goes into being the Lion, the Blue Sapphire or a cheerleader is one of the things that the pair does not like about their positions or the people who hold them.

As she curls up in shorts and a sweatshirt before her second of three cheerleading practices that day, Christine compares the public perception of twirling to people's opinion of ice skating.

"They sure look all happy and smiles on TV but there are a lot of tears that go into it," she said.

Just as much work goes into cheering, they said. It is difficult to get a lot done because the cheerleading team is not considered a sport by the University, Nick said.

The team had a very rough year last year. In August it lost its adviser and shortly afterward its coach moved to California. So Nick and Jerid assumed the position of coach while cheering and taking classes.

Beyond Happy Valley

Christine is taking a temporary leave from the spotlight this Spring Semester. She is on an internship in King of Prussia and is staying with Nick's parents. She is considering returning to try out for the Blue Sapphire position and the cheerleading team later in the Spring Semester.

After dropping one class and making hundreds of appearances as the Lion, Nick has chosen not to continue his tenure as the Lion. He will do his student teaching in the Fall Semester and then the couple will relocate to the King of Prussia area after their graduation in December 1998.

The wedding will not be for another two years, but Nick can already see children in the future.

"I guess four years from now," he said.

"I don't know," she said.

"If we're married in two years," he joked. "I'll be bored of you in a year without kids."

Both are described as good with children. Christine teaches a twirling class for young girls and Nick said they have a competition to see who little kids will go up to when they are in costume. As she leaves Happy Valley temporarily, Christine is optimistic about the future.

"Hopefully (things will stay) as perfect as everything is now," she said.