Georgetown’s basketball teams are well known throughout the country for their on court excellence. However, for Tyler Crawford (COL ’08) and Meredith Cox Crawford (COL ’10), the program turned out to be about much more than just basketball.

The two former Georgetown basketball standouts were married May 30, beginning a happy new chapter of their lives.

“I couldn’t ask for a better partner in crime, and [for it to be] my best friend, my wife, the future mother of my kids — I really made out well,” Tyler said.

The couple met in McDonough Gymnasium almost a decade ago, when Tyler Crawford was a junior guard/forward for a team that would go to the Final Four that season.

“I kind of initiated it, she walked in the gym at McDonough during her freshman year, and she had yellow shorts and a real bubbly personality,” Tyler said. “So I went to one of her teammates, got her phone number and jokingly texted her because she didn’t have my number, and we took off that way.”

Georgetown’s men’s and women’s basketball teams both practice in McDonough Gymnasium, often immediately following one another. As a result, players from the two teams often get to know each other well, and both Meredith and Tyler cited the closeness between the two teams as beneficial in the development of their relationship.

“Overall, the men’s and women’s basketball team, we were both very supportive of each other,” Meredith said. “When we were able to go to their games that was a lot of fun, and then on the flipside of that, all of them came to a lot of our games. So there really was a friendship between a lot of the players, and that helped Tyler and I in our relationship.”

During their Georgetown careers, the newlyweds each played important roles on their respective basketball teams. Tyler, a 6-foot-3-inch guard/forward, scored 151 points and grabbed 114 rebounds during his career. However, he contributed much more than the numbers would indicate, as he was renowned for his leadership and was named a captain his senior year.

Head Coach John Thompson III frequently referred to Crawford as the “heart and soul” of the team, and the results backed up that assertion. During his final three seasons, the Hoyas went 81-23, highlighted by runs to the Final Four in 2007 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2006.

Meredith, a 5-foot-11-inch guard, was a standout outside shooter, hitting 102 three-pointers in her three seasons before an injury sidelined her for her senior season. She scored 384 points, snared 149 rebounds and handed out 92 assists during her career. She was a two-time Big East Academic All-Star and earned the team’s Coach’s Award after her sophomore season for her dedication both on and off the floor.

Both Meredith and Tyler, however, know that their time at Georgetown was about much more than just basketball.

“We both had awesome experiences and met people that were in our wedding and at our wedding and will be a part of our lives for years to come, and that all started at Georgetown. We really owe them a lot,” Meredith said. “I feel terribly grateful to Georgetown for everything that they’ve given me.”

The closeness of the two basketball programs was reflected in the attendance at the Crawfords’ wedding. Several of Meredith’s former teammates flew in to attend. In addition, former women’s basketball manager Katherine DeStefano (MSB ’10), Meredith’s former roommate, was a bridesmaid, and Tyler’s former teammates Jeff Green (COL ’12), Jonathan Wallace (COL ’08) and Patrick Ewing Jr. (COL ’08) were groomsmen. Thompson III also attended the wedding.

“His close friends and teammates are definitely some of my closest friends as well,” Meredith said.

Although it has been several years since Meredith and Tyler graduated from Georgetown, the university still plays a part in each of their lives.

“For myself, it’s a place where I prayed about getting to play, and I got blessed to be able to go there. And I always said I would be able to meet my soulmate in college, and it just so happened,” Tyler said. “I’m thankful that it happened the way it did, because [Meredith] has played a special part in my life for a very long time. Georgetown basketball will always have a special place in my heart, not just for the scholarship, but for what it’s brought and added to my life and how it’s helped change me as a person.”