By JACOB COMP, Student Reporter
College is a time where student athletes can excel in their respective sports in hopes of eventually graduating and a time where one may find friendships or relationships.
For two Northwestern Oklahoma State University athletes, that is exactly what happened.
Kate Deterding, senior Health and Fitness Management major from Lindsborg, Kansas, just wrapped up her senior season as a member of Northwestern’s volleyball team.
Jake White, graduate student from Frisco, Texas, is currently playing catcher for the Ranger baseball team.
The two met in the beginning of the 2020 spring semester, but as of December 2020 they are engaged.
“We were in several of the same classes, but never knew each other or spoke to each other,” Deterding said. “One day we had a Kinesiology exam, and I was sitting in the commons of the Health and Sports Science Education building studying for the test and Jake came up to me and asked if I wanted to study with him.”
Deterding said she and her fiancè grew a bond for each other through sports during their relationship.
“One time before we were engaged, we were playing catch with a football,” Deterding said. “We were throwing it super far and at one point I caught the ball wrong and snapped my left ring finger. We hadn’t even been dating for very long, so I was trying to play it cool, while crying on the inside. I ended up telling my coach that my finger was broken from playing catch and he responded, ‘hmm that’s a weird way to ask someone to marry you.’”
White said the two have shared fun stories.
“For probably a month or two, Kate and I would just give each other this specific look and we both knew what that meant,” White said. “It meant we were going to whip up a family-sized batch of puppy chow and eat just about all of it in one setting. We did this about once a week for a while until we decided this was an awful habit to move forward with.”
The two make the most out of each and every opportunity together, White said. He said just going on a simple trip to Walmart is a great time.
White said the proposal was difficult because it was an ongoing plan for months that he had to keep secret from Deterding.
“I honestly think I blacked out,” Deterding said about her engagement. “I was so excited and happy. I was seriously shaking and just couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Since their engagement, both White and Deterding have earned honors in their sports.
Deterding recently finished her collegiate volleyball career with Northwestern.
She finished the season with the second most kills on the team at 175 kills. She averaged 3.13 kills per set. Deterding scored 198 points for the Lady Rangers during the season, second most on the team.
She finished the season being one of two NWOSU volleyball players to be recognized by the conference. She earned a spot on the All-Great American Conference Second Team on April 7.
White is currently playing his senior season for the Rangers. He has a .274 batting average on the year with four home runs, 13 runs scored, and 25 runs batted in.
White has allowed only one error behind the plate for the Rangers.
In week nine of the Ranger baseball team’s season, White excelled and was named the Great American Conference offensive player of the week.
White earned that after Northwestern played in a series against Southern Nazarene University. He had a total of eight hits. White also drove in 13 runs including a grand slam and two three-run homeruns.
“It isn’t always easy to do, but we just make time for what is important and have an understanding of each other’s busy schedule,” Deterding said.
After graduation the couple plans to move to The Colony, Texas where they will begin their careers.
The couple’s wedding day is scheduled for October 30, 2021.
“I knew she was special the day I met her,” White said. “Within the first two weeks of getting to know Kate and getting to spend time with her, I knew this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”