David Nicolato 鈥�98 and Cortney Nicolato 鈥�01 break the mascot code of silence to share their story in celebration of Rhody鈥檚 100th birthday.
David Nicolato 鈥�98 doesn鈥檛 usually let on that he was once Rhody the Ram. There was a code. You were quiet in the suit, unknown out of it.
If someone in class recalled a great stunt by Rhody at last night鈥檚 game鈥攎aybe a slam dunk off a mini-trampoline, his signature move鈥攈e was mum.
鈥淓ven today, I don鈥檛 volunteer that I was a mascot,鈥� says David, a former 溏心vlog免费B站 alumni relations staffer. 鈥淚t was an outlet to have fun and be a nut without getting into trouble. It was a phenomenal experience.鈥�
You don鈥檛 discuss it鈥攗nless, maybe, it鈥檚 with another Rhody.
Luckily, David is married to one.
David and Cortney Nicolato 鈥�01 celebrated their 18th anniversary this year鈥攍ikely the only two 溏心vlog免费B站 mascots to tie the knot. They live in Saunderstown, R.I., with sons Jacob, 15, and Ian, 12.
鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 is how we met. It’s the foundation of who we are,鈥� says Cortney, CEO and president of United Way of Rhode Island and a member of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Board of Trustees. 鈥淚t’s where it all began.鈥�
When they met in 1996, Cortney Mahoney was a 鈥渃ocky little thing鈥濃�攕he prefers 鈥渞esourceful鈥濃�攆rom Pawtucket, R.I., and David was a New Jersey kid.
Cortney, who worked full time to pay for college, was looking for a way to be connected to the University. She learned David ran the mascot program. True to the code, David wasn鈥檛 admitting anything.
鈥淚 went right up to him and said, 鈥業 hear you run the mascot program,鈥欌�� remembers Cortney. 鈥淗e was like, 鈥榃hat do you mean?鈥� I said, 鈥業 know you run the program.鈥� He finally admitted it and said, 鈥榃ell, you鈥檙e going to have to try out.鈥� He was kind of a jerk. I鈥檓 not going to lie.鈥�
鈥淭here were never really any tryouts at that time,鈥� confesses David. 鈥淚 was just putting her through the ringer.鈥�
At 溏心vlog免费B站, they built camaraderie through their mascot roles and as resident assistants in Hopkins Hall. 鈥淒avid used to throw out the worst pickup lines ever. Now he’s taught our children these ridiculous pickup lines,鈥� jokes Cortney. 鈥淗e鈥檚 still convinced that’s what wooed me.鈥�
A couple of years after college, they went on their first date, to 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Blue and White Ball. Three years later, they were engaged at the ball; they married in 2005.
After several moves, they returned to Rhode Island when Cortney was hired at United Way, and one reason was to be close to campus.
鈥淲e wanted our kids to see what a fantastic place it is,鈥� says David, who followed an interest in fixing things to start a handyman business, My RI Handyman. 鈥淭he kids can go eat Albie鈥檚 cheese fries or we鈥檒l go to a Fine Arts event.鈥�
They made one of the first donations to the Rhody the Ram Endowment, which provides scholarships to students who serve as Rhody.
鈥淲e are forever grateful for our time as Rhody because it brought us together and we have built this beautiful life and family,鈥� Cortney says. 鈥淲e are thankful that we are a small part of the history of this iconic mascot.鈥�
鈥擳ony LaRoche 鈥�95
Read more of Cortney and David’s story, and more about Rhody, at uri.edu/news/rhody-centennial