When U. Central Florida alumni James Nanasy and Amanda Woodie first met, all they saw was the face of Knightro, UCF’s mascot. Their days of being motivating mascots may be over, but their relationship endures because these former Knightros are marrying on May 14.

Nanasy proposed to Woodie on New Year’s Eve at Universal Studios during a Temptations concert.

“We were in the front row, snapping a million pictures right under the big sign that said ‘Don’t take any pictures,’” Woodie said. “Someone came from backstage with the security guard and said, ‘Sir, you need to come with us,’ and I thought he was getting busted for having the camera.”

A few minutes later, a woman came to get Woodie. As she was led backstage, she worried that Nanasy was in trouble.

Once backstage, she saw her boyfriend standing on stage with the Temptations.

“When the Temptations were performing I went up on stage and they brought her up and I proposed,” Nanasy said.  “Then they sang ‘My Girl.’”

After getting engaged, it was time to plan the wedding. Woodie said they considered using black and gold for their wedding colors, but her friends discouraged her from doing so.

“In lieu of that we did our engagement shoot at UCF,” she said.

The couple plan to have Knightro in the wedding as an usher and in a skit where he’ll provide the wedding rings to the pair.

Nanasy and Woodie started dating in January of 2002 after spending so much time together at events and in their spare time.

Michael Callahan, the current coach of the mascot team, met the pair at Knightro trials in 2002. Callahan said the Knightros did a lot of team building activities like scavenger hunts and sleepovers.

“Once we started doing activities as a team, you just start going out, four or five of you,” Nanasy said.

Woodie said she realized she had feelings for Nanasy when, at one point, they were the only two on the team. Once more teammates were added, Woodie said she was a bit jealous.

Nanasy and Woodie missed each other when they weren’t the only Knightros and weren’t spending all of their time together.

Before he was Knightro, Nanasy was a member of the drumline for three years.

“I saw Knightro at the events and I thought it would be something that was just really fun and different,” he said. “I wanted to be involved with athletics and school spirit, but not necessarily the drumline anymore.”

Woodie danced all through high school, but missed the UCF dance auditions, so she tried out for Knightro instead.

“It was kind of unconventional, but it seemed like a fun thing to do,” she said.
Nanasy said his experience as Knightro was incredible.

He used to smile in pictures with fans, even though his costume covered his face.

“It’s really hard to put into words,” he said. “There are so many unique experiences you only get by doing that. It’s wild because it takes a while to adapt to it.”

After eight years together, the former Knightros still have fun and make each other laugh.

“The joke is that one day we’ll have kids who will sit here and be our audience and we can entertain them,” Woodie said.