How two former student-athletes found more than athletic success in College Park.
Brady Ruth, Staff Writer
10/21/2026
It was a seemingly routine day in the football weight room in August of 1998, but one that would change the trajectory of two Terps’ lives forever.
Katie Kauffman-Beach and Keith Beach were getting some summer work in for their respective sports. Katie was a prominent field hockey player with Olympic aspirations, while Keith played for a Maryland men’s soccer team on the rise.
“I remember wondering who the good-looking guy lifting weights was,” Katie said. “We were both here for the summer and saw each other often. We started talking, and he asked me if I wanted to go to a bagel place on the corner.”
It was the start of a beautiful relationship that has spanned decades and grown into a multigenerational legacy of Beach student-athletes in College Park.
Two years separated Katie (1993-96) and Keith (1995-98), but their passion for their sports and academics quickly brought them together. They bonded over the challenges of balancing life as student-athletes, their experiences in the business school and playing for legendary coaches who are still coaching in College Park today.
“It’s very unique that we were both recruited by the same coaches who are still on campus,” Katie said. “It’s pretty remarkable. We don’t know these programs as anything else. Missy does an incredible job of keeping the field hockey alums connected. She’s the face of Maryland Field Hockey, and it’s so special to be a part of that family.”
Trips to bagel shops, study dates and walks around campus helped develop an incredible bond. Their busy in-season schedules limited their time together, but the two were unknowingly building a relationship that would last a lifetime.
We became really good friends before we started dating. We were both really serious about our sports and really serious about our academics. We both wanted to succeed as much as we could on and off the field. We would go to each other’s games and hang out when we had time. When our seasons ended, we started officially dating.Katie Beach
When Katie graduated and went on to compete for Olympic and national teams, Keith remained in College Park to finish his collegiate career and help lead the Terps to the 1996 ACC Championship, a milestone that helped put Maryland soccer on the national map.
Time together in the same place became rare, but the distance gave the two a new appreciation for every shared moment and opportunity to reconnect. Katie never hesitated to return to College Park to see Keith and the program she remains an avid supporter of today.
“That was a long time ago, but it was home,” Katie said. “The minute Missy started recruiting me, this just felt like a special place. I met amazing people and had amazing experiences. I owe so much to Maryland.”
Just as he had caught her eye in the weight room all those years earlier, Keith had another surprise in store for Katie.
The two were walking around campus, reliving college memories, when Keith dropped to one knee in front of the ODK Fountain on McKeldin Mall.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Katie said. “But it was so special that it happened at a place with so many incredible memories together. It’s always felt like my second home.”
Surrounded by family and friends — including plenty of former teammates — the two tied the knot. The connections they made at Maryland remain a meaningful part of their lives, providing a support system that continues to grow in 2026.
Maryland is a big family. There were a lot of Maryland people at our wedding. We keep in touch now, go on vacation together, whatever it may be. Now with Ella being here, it’s opening back up again to a whole new group of connections.Keith Beach
Perhaps the most heartwarming part of the Beaches’ story is that it now spans multiple generations. Their daughter, Ella, is a freshman on the Maryland field hockey team, competing for the same coach and program that helped her mother become an Olympic-caliber player.
“It’s really special to be part of a university and program that meant so much to both of my parents and treated them so well,” Ella said. “Being able to experience that same place for myself is something I’m really grateful for.”
What began as a summer in College Park turned into a lifetime of memories, built on a foundation that neither could have imagined when they first met in the weight room.
Now, decades later, Katie and Keith have a new reason to return to the place where it all began. And as they watch Ella write her own story in the red, black and gold, they’re reminded that some of the most meaningful parts of their Maryland journeys are still unfolding.
“There are so many things that are special about this place,” Keith said. “It’s so fun to walk past certain dorms and relive some of those great memories. We don’t get back nearly enough, but now we’re able to come back more with Ella playing.”
What started with a chance meeting in a Maryland weight room has grown into something far greater than either could have imagined. Decades later, the Beaches’ story is still being written in College Park, this time through the daughter who carries on their legacy.
