Love Story

It’s more or less the typical Harvard story. You’ve heard it many times by now—student spends one year at Mesa Community College, two years in Uruguay on a Mormon mission, one more year at MCC, transfers to Harvard junior year, marries during summer between junior and senior year.

Pretty standard, really.

Brad Payne is 23 years old and will be nearly 24 by the time he graduates. He married Rachelle Willis on May 29, 2003 to become the first “husband” on any of coach Tim Murphy’s Harvard squads.

“He’s been a huge asset to the team, he’s just a pleasure to be around, such a great kid,” Murphy says. “Well, it’s hard to say ‘kid’ because he’s our first married Harvard student and our oldest.”

On the football field, Payne is fierce. He has 33 tackles on the season, including four sacks. He is a consistent presence in the backfield, stopping running backs for losses with punishing hits and hurrying the quarterback with intimidating pressure.

Off the field, it’s a different story.

Mild-mannered, polite and genial, Payne’s personality is a closer fit to an altar boy than a defensive end. The only giveaway to his true persona is his 6’3, 230-lb frame.

Perhaps it was this unusual mesh of physical strength and quiet dignity that caught the eye of the 28-year old Willis on an airplane two years ago.

“Both of our families went to Missouri on vacation in the middle of nowhere and we met on the airplane on the way home,” the newly-anointed Mrs. Payne says with a smile. “We were both from Arizona and we just got talking—that was it!”

According to the senior, after doing the “long distance thing,” the couple had to make a decision.

“It was too stressful, flying out to Arizona one month and having her fly here the next month while I was in school,” Payne said. “We had to either push it forward or let it fade.”

The couple decided to get hitched and move to Cambridge full time. The two live in an off-campus apartment near Alewife. While Brad studies, Rachelle works full-time as a mortgage loan officer at Cambridgeport Savings Bank.

“Somebody’s got to bring home the bacon,” she laughs while Payne smirks, sheepishly admitting, “I know. It’s a good thing she does.”

Though Payne may still be a lowly student, his maturity is without question. After spending his freshman year of college at MCC in Arizona, Payne spent the next two years in Uruguay on a Mormon mission.

“We did missionary work and a lot of service in Uruguay,” Payne says. “By doing that, we had a better window to show them that we were real people, not just trying to add numbers to our church.”

Payne was only 19 when he embarked on his two-year expedition. He returned to Mesa for his sophomore year, his final year at the two-year college.

“I was recruited by a lot of schools at the time coming out of high school,” Payne says. “But I had a girlfriend at the time and wasn’t sure I wanted to leave.”

“It wasn’t me,” Rachelle clarifies.

But Payne eventually found both Rachelle and Harvard. After succeeding academically and athletically at Mesa, earning Academic All-America honors before and after leaving for Africa, Payne was recruited by Harvard and thought it was the perfect match.

“Harvard is a great fit for me, in and out of the classroom,” Payne says. “I really like the fellowship on the team. I like how the players interact with each other and how a true bond is created. The players have made my experience here worth it.”

And although Payne got married back at home in Arizona, he is not averse to staying near Harvard after graduation.

“If I get a good job offer after school, we might stick around,” Payne says. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I think people at Harvard are nicer than people in Boston. Bostonians are not always that amiable, but people at Harvard come from all over the world, and I think they’re more open and friendly. So, as long as I’m around some people that are open and friendly, I’ll be okay.”

An economics major, Payne would like to pursue a consulting job and may accept an offer made by Trinity Partners in Waltham. But he and his wife are also considering moving back to Arizona—to avoid Massachusetts’ winters, if nothing else.

“I still haven’t been through a winter here,” Rachelle says. “So ask me what I think of Boston in a few months.”

Before Brad and Rachelle have to make a decision on where to spend the rest of their lives, The Game awaits. Mrs. Payne has been in attendance for every win and loss this season, both home and away, and has gotten to know quite a bit about the team.

“I’m hoping to feed Ryan Fitzpatrick enough enchiladas to get him healthy in a hurry,” says Rachelle, who has been impressed with the camaraderie of the squad. “They’ve treated me as one of the family.”

Senior defensive tackle Brendan McCafferty has gotten to know both Brad and Rachelle through team functions and parties.

“I don’t think that anyone on the team is surprised that Brad is able to successfully handle a family along with the demands of football and school,” McCafferty says.

“And Rachelle has fit right in. It was great to see the two of them dressed in costume for a Halloween Party we had. I think it’s great they found each other at a young age and I know Brad couldn’t be happier.”

As for Yale, how would Payne want the game to end? With a game-winning fumble recovery for a touchdown, perhaps? How about an interception to seal to the victory?

Try “sitting on the bench.”

“This will sound kind of funny, but hopefully, we beat Yale so bad that I’m on the sidelines, watching the second team close them out,” Payne says. “Then, I can go home to my wife and celebrate the victory.”

His significant other agrees. “I hope it’s not close, because they kill me up in the stands,” Rachelle says. “He enjoys giving me a heart attack, every week.”

If love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, football and marriage go together to like a horse and spaceship. But Brad Payne and Rachelle Willis have made it work.

“Brad is living a different a life than the other players on the team,” Murphy says. “But he still fits in extremely well.”

When the final whistle blows in New Haven and Payne’s football career comes to an end, he can look up to his wife, cheering in the stands, and realize he’s got plenty more to look forward to—a post-game meal.

“Are you kidding me? I married for the food,” Payne says with a smile.

Rachelle is more than willing to comply.

—Staff writer Alex M. Sherman can be reached at sherman@fas.harvard.edu.