In 1984, Andy Rittenhouse, ‘89 mechanical engineering, was a freshman redshirt football player exhausted by three strenuous practices a day in the August heat.
Things started looking up for him when girls arrived on campus. He and a girlfriend attended a student fellowship meeting, where a pretty girl talked about finding God. Andy was mesmerized. He broke up with his then-girlfriend to chase Paige Goss, ‘89 industrial engineering.
Paige joined a sorority and became a TTU cheerleader. Andy got playing time on the football field. He said it took effort to pay attention to the game and not his “sweet honey” on the sidelines. He convinced team managers to bring her water from the field. Paige would mail Andy cards with jokes about his name on the envelope: Andy Outhouse, Andy Doghouse and Andy Rottenshack.
Like any young couple, the pair had arguments. Andy would complain to his roommate, Antonio Sinkfield, ‘88 marketing, who always asked Andy if he loved Paige. When Andy admitted he did, Antonio told him to calm down, apologize and go kiss Paige.
Andy was named first team academic all-American in football, but he says the highlight of his time at Tech was meeting his “precious little Scott County girl.”
Today, they live in Knoxville and have seven children: six boys and one girl, the oldest an engineering major at Tech.
Paige and Andy shared this story during this year’s Alumni Association Lovebirds competition and were named one of two grand-prize winners. They received a date-night gift basket. V