Mascots to Married: A Wolfpack Love Story
Two couples suited up to play NC State’s favorite married mascots.
Story by Rachel Young | Video by Evan Kidd and Rachel Young
Once upon a time, they played the Pack’s iconic married mascot couple. Now they’re planning weddings of their own. Meet the two Mr. and Ms. Wuf duos who found their forever at NC State.
Chandler Smith ’24 and Savanna Stone ’24, ’25
Chandler and Savanna’s love story started long before they ever stepped onto the field as Mr. and Ms. Wuf — but NC State is where it became something bigger.
They met in sixth grade in math class. Chandler can still picture it: “White polo, black glasses. I remember the whole outfit.” Savanna remembers something slightly different. “He had Justin Bieber hair and kept a comb in his pocket. I thought he was so cute.”
They were middle school sweethearts, then close friends, then high school sweethearts again. But it was at NC State where they truly found their rhythm.
When Chandler joined the mascot team at NC State, and Savanna followed a year later, they stepped into the roles of Mr. and Ms. Wuf — the married couple of the Wolfpack. Playing spouses on the field while dating in real life might sound like a bit, but for them it just fit.
“Usually your significant other is in the stands. We got to be in it together.”
Together meant leading tunnel runs inside Carter-Finley Stadium, dancing to the band in Reynolds Coliseum and learning how to play off each other’s energy without ever saying a word. It wasn’t always seamless. “At first it was hard,” Chandler admits. “But once we got through the growth phase, we were working in tandem. It brought us closer.”
Last February, Chandler added one more chapter to their story. He told Savanna they were going out for pasta. Instead, he pulled up beside the Memorial Belltower and popped the question.
“I was more nervous getting down on one knee in front of her than I ever was in front of a sold-out arena at Lenovo Center,” he says. Savanna had no idea. “I was not expecting it at all. At all.”
Her mom watched on the Belltower livestream from the Aloft Hotel. Their roommate brought their cats, who made a cameo for photos. A party bus of students cheered from across the street.
“We’ve been rocking and rolling for eight years,” Savanna says. “To grow together like that is really special.”
Chase Smith ’24, ’25 and Rachel Fenton ’23
Rachel and Chase’s love story started the way a lot of great NC State traditions do — with a little spirit and a lot of teamwork.
They met their first year on the mascot team in 2021. Both were brand-new to the world of Mr. and Ms. Wuf, learning the ropes at cheer camp and leaning on each other as they figured out how to bring the characters to life.
“I don’t know that we really would have talked as much if we hadn’t gone to camp together,” Rachel admits. “We had to figure out how to be mascots together.”
Their first not-quite-date happened after a mascot appearance at a barn party. They stayed, held chickens, and kept talking. Soon, trips to the farmers’ market and long walks through campus became their thing.
Being Mr. and Ms. Wuf only added to the chemistry. While there are multiple mascots behind the scenes, whenever they were paired together, the connection felt natural.
“It never really felt like, are we coworkers or are we dating?” Rachel says. “It was just this fun hobby that we share.”
“I feel like it just made it easier to actually be a couple since we had already pretended.”
Last August, Chase planned a sunset hike up Hawksbill Mountain in western North Carolina. Rachel tried to steer clear of a photographer at the top. Little did she know, the photographer was there for them, and at the summit, Chase asked Rachel to marry him. She said yes.
Now, their NC State connection is still front and center. Rachel serves as the mascot coach, helping lead the next generation of Wufs.
“Mr. and Ms. Wuf are NC State’s biggest fans,” Chase says. “So we’re NC State’s biggest fans.”
And if the original Mr. and Ms. Wuf — married since 1981 — have any advice for the newly engaged couple?
“Always go back to each other,” Rachel says. “At the end of the day, it’s them against the world.”
❤️ Meet a few more State Mates ❤️
Chloe Williams ’24 and Timothy York ’23
Timothy and I met in Nelson Hall during an agribusiness management club meeting back in 2022. He and his friend sat down at the table where my friend and I were sitting. A couple of months later, he asked me about working at the restaurant I worked at — Amedeos — and then got a job there. I flirted with him for months until he finally got the hint and took me on our first date. 2 years later, he brought me back to Raleigh to propose. We have been inseparable ever since that first date, and are getting married on May 2nd, 2026!
Chrystal ’97 and Lilton ’98 Moore
Met first day of the African American Symposium in August 1993 and remained friends for several years. We didn’t start dating until 1997 and got married in 1999. Married 26 years.
Julia and Matthew Ogles ’17
Our journey together started at the brick-laid campus of North Carolina State University, where we were both drawn to the energy and camaraderie of the rowing club. It was through shared victories (but mostly losses) that we forged a connection that would shape the course of our lives. From studying in Talley to graduating together on the field of Carter-Finley during COVID, NC State will always be the first page of our love story.
Mary ’14, ’16 and Caleb ’15 Whitby
My husband and I met in Denver, CO, post-graduation at a work conference—specifically a pavement smoothness conference, so very niche. We didn’t know each other at State but had several mutual friends. His friends even tried to set him up with my cousin before we met. Come to find out, we were both from eastern NC, and his grandpa was a pastor at a church my cousin went to. We bonded over our area codes (252) and love NC State sports. Our first date was at Amedeo’s.
Alyssa and Patrick McQuilling ’10
We met in Dr. Bob Beichner’s Freshman physics class in Spring 2007. We were put in the same lab group for the first lab assignment and spent the semester working together on homework assignments. We attended a few friends’ parties and by the end of the semester, began to date. We’ve been married since 2013 and have 3 boys.
Alysa Schwenk ’21 and Vasanth Ramdas ’21
We met at an Avent Ferry Social Event on move-in day, our Freshman year in 2017! We quickly became friends and started dating in January 2018, and got engaged in October 2024! Now, we live together in Philadelphia with our two cats while I (Alysa) finish medical school.
Revonda ’90 and William ’84 Tew
State/Carolina game, Feb 5, 1987. Tim was working the game (tv broadcast) for JP Sports. We were trying to get on TV, holding up questionable signs, and we connected. Invited him and his coworkers to the afterparty. Started dating a year later. Though the Pack lost that game, I clearly won!
Joshua Cummings ’20 and Jessica Jones ’21
Our story began summer of 2015 at NC State, when we first crossed paths as high school students at the Native Education Forum summer camp. In 2018, we met again, this time as mentors at NEF and students at NC State. What started as old friends became something more, and a month later, our journey officially began. Between late-night study sessions at D.H. Hill and cheering side by side at Saturday football games, I realized she was the one I wanted to spend forever with.
After graduating from NC State, we took our next step together, moving to Tennessee and getting married in 2022. A few years later, our path led us home to Raleigh in 2025, where our story continues and our roots grow deeper every day.
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