Emily Betts arrived on campus and stepped out of her gold Honda Civic.
The car, nicknamed “14 Karot Gold”, was full of dorm room essentials and garbage bags stuffed with clothes.
Myles Fee was already covered with sweat and was about to go back to his dorm when he noticed a cute girl with a big smile standing with her mother outside of Spellman Hall.
“Hey Billy,” he said turning to his roommate and teammate, “We got one more.”
On New-Student Move-In Day, 2003, Myles and Emily were strangers. But by the end of the day, they had begun a journey that would take them from a college romance to maraige and a family, to finally celebrating a National Hockey League Championship in Reid Castle.
Myles was in his second year as a Valiants Men’s Hockey defensive player and only ever wanted to “just get to the next level”. Weather it was going to college, being a part of a professional hockey team, or just moving away from his hometown of Manitoba, Canada, he knew that he was destined for bigger things.
Emily had spent most of her life just a half-hour away from Manhattanville in Stamford, CT. Growing up, her mother Christine was a teacher and that influence would inspire her and her siblings to pursue careers in education. As a high school senior in the early 2000’s, Emily recognized that Manhattanville would provide her with the best path forward in achieving her dreams. However, little did she know that simply stepping foot on campus for her freshman year, her life would be drastically changed.
“Everybody’s nervous going into college,” Emily explained. “But Manhattanville does a good job of welcoming people.”
It’s a long-standing tradition for the Manhattanville Community to come together to help students move into their dorms for their first year on campus. And Manhattanville’s athletes have always led the charge in this effort.
“We ended up spending 5 hours just sweating away,” said Myles of volunteering for move-in day as part of the hockey team. “It’s a great way to introduce yourself. Someone helped me move in during my first day so it’s nice to pay if forward.”
That afternoon, Myles approached Emily, introduced himself, and asked if she needed any help carrying her things to her dorm. Struggling to look up at his six-foot, five-inch frame, she initially turned him down. But her mother, sensing a spark, intervened and said that they’d be happy for the help.
A few weeks later, Emily’s mother called her for a routine check in. “So, how’s that Canadian,” she asked.
“She knew,” Emily recounted. “She knew.”
Shortly after their first encounter on that hot, August day, Myles and Emily would once again be thrust together through serendipity. They shared a class together during Emily’s first semester.
“I was in the lecture hall in Brownson,” she said. “He came in, waved at me and smiled. I got red in the face. Then he sat right behind me.”
“Who sits in the front row?” Myles quickly quipped.
It was in that classroom, under florescent lights and with the quad visible through the windows, that their relationship began to take root. And as the semester progressed, they would find more opportunities outside of the classroom to bond. They would dance together during quad jam, hang out with mutual friends, and when Myles wasn’t competing on the ice, they cheered together from the sidelines of many athletic games.
“Those small, everyday moments ended up being some of the most meaningful for us,” Emily reminisced.
But like most college students, their paths would take them to unexpected destinations and create challenges for them as a couple. Myles would gain an internship with the New York Rangers and, at the same time, Emily would spend a semester abroad. But despite the time difference, they called each other as often as possible. Myles even took the 6–7-hour flight from New York to Ireland to visit her during Valentine’s Day.
After Myles graduated, that level of support would become the foundation of their long-term relationship. With Myles no longer living on campus and Emily having another year left as an undergraduate, they were determined to be there for each other.
“It was a good reminder that growth in a relationship comes from navigating those transitions together, “Emily explained. “Whether that’s showing up at games, celebrating milestones, or just encouraging one another even when it’s not easy — like moving from city to city — that support has been a constant thread in our relationship.”
Myles and Emily now live in Florida with their two children. Emily teaches English as a second language and Myles is, of course, an assistant coach for the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers. Since his arrival in Florida in 2022, the Panthers have made three-straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in each of the last two years to capture the first championships in the team's 32-year history.
In a recent interview with govaliants.com, Myles remarked on his success and the role Manhattanville played in making it possible.
"I wouldn't be where I am today without Manhattanville. It has springboarded me to a level that, where I come from, the small-town background, I didn't know what to expect when I came to New York. But I realized the vast scope of what I could do."
Earlier this summer, in a moment that can only be described as full-circle, Myles and Emily finally returned to Manhattanville after nearly 2 decades since graduating. No longer hauling garbage bags full of clothes in the trunk of a gold Honda Civic, the two now had their young children in the backseat of their SUV and the Stanley Cup in the trunk.
To the eager eyes of several Manhattanville VIP’s, including President Dr. Frank D. Sánchez and Athletic Director Julene Caulfield, Myles, flanked by Emily and their children, walked to the rear of the vehicle and carefully lifted Lord Stanley from a specially designed carrier, lifted it to his face and kissed it as cameras snapped around him.
And as the family of four from Florida, dressed in sundresses and khaki shorts, posed for more photos with the trophy in front of the Reid Castle steps, friends and Manhattanville community members had begun gatherign in the castle’s West Room for a chance to see the NHL’s top prize up close.
“Bringing the Stanley Cup to campus and sharing it with the Manhattanville community is a moment that we’ll never forget,” remarked Emily. “And sharing this with our children is incredibly special.”
"Thank you all for coming today, this is my home away from home," Myles said as he addressed the gathered crowd inside the West Room. "I spent half of my life in this area. There are so many people here that I love and I thank you for coming. Thank you to my family for following me and enduring our many ups and downs."
As the celebration inside the West Room carried on, friends and strangers alike kept the Fee’s busy. Many alumni and friends who shared the campus with Myles and Emily in the early 2000’s reminisced about their collective time at Manhattanville, often with warm embraces and bright smiles. Others shared personal stories about their love of the ice or the pleasure of watching Myles’ career. But all through the commotion of champaign toasts and selfies, Myles and Emily were never more than a few feet away from each other while their children playfully explored the majesty of Reid Castle.
“For me, it’s never been just about the trophies,” said Emily. “It was about seeing the years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance come to fruition and being able to celebrate that as a family and as a Valiant.”
And when the height of the celebration had passed, the couple made their way to the West Terrace for a quiet moment and some more photos. Standing among a garden of beautifully red roses and with the govaliants field behind them, Myles reached his hand around Emily’s back and gently pulled her closer letting the sun reflect off his championship ring.
“It happened right over there,” he said as the two gazed down the quad towards Spellman Hall. “That’s where we met. That’s where this all began.”
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About Manhattanville University
Manhattanville University (formerly Manhattanville College) is a private liberal arts institution dedicated to academic excellence, purposeful education, and social responsibility. “U.S. News and World Report” ranks Manhattanville among the Top Performers of Social Mobility in Regional Universities North. The university has been recognized among the best colleges in The Princeton Review for close to 20 years. Located 30 miles from New York City on a 100-acre suburban campus in the heart of Westchester County, Manhattanville enables easy access to entertainment offerings, educational resources, and business opportunities for its diverse student body. The university serves more than 1,400 undergraduate students and nearly 1,000 graduate students from more than 44 countries and 33 states. Founded in 1841, the university offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate areas of study in the arts and sciences, education, nursing and health sciences, business, and creative writing, as well as continuing and executive education programs. Graduate students can choose from over 70 graduate and certificate programs. Extracurricular offerings include more than 45 clubs and activities and 23 NCAA Division III teams.
