He's Got Game: Kan. State B-baller Sinks the Shot and Ties the Knot

March 6, 2008 — -- When Kansas State University senior Stephanie Harwell entered Bramlage Coliseum Tuesday night in Manhattan, Kan., she thought she would cheer her basketball guard boyfriend on to victory against the University of Colorado.

Little did she know, by the night's end she'd shed joyous tears before 13,000 people in response to Clent Stewart's marriage proposal.

Unbeknownst to Harwell, Stewart had asked her father for her hand in marriage and secretly cleared his proposal plans with Wildcat coach Frank Martin. Stewart took a microphone prior to tip off and thanked students, fans and president Jon Wefald during senior night, where the school recognizes its senior athletes.

Then the management information systems major turned to Harwell and dropped to one knee with pink roses, which were accented by two red roses in hand.

"Stephanie," he asked, "Will you marry me?"

The stadium erupted with cheers as Harwell tearfully accepted his proposal and while the special moment was far from intimate, Harwell said she loved it.

"I was thrilled. I was so excited. It was such a surprise," the mathematics education major said on "Good Morning America" today. "It was definitely a good place to have it because the community here loves Clent and everybody loves him here. So to have it at the stadium was a great place for it. I loved it. It was wonderful."

Stewart, who had told family and friends of his plan, was happy he was able to surprise his bride-to-be.

"She didn't know. I let a couple of her friends know, my closest friends know; my dad and her family as well," Stewart said on "Good Morning America" today. "She had no idea. Her friends kept it from her. It all worked out well."

The proposal was the culmination of an extended courtship. The couple met freshmen year.

"My first day in my English class, the first day of college, my freshman year, we met," Harwell said. "[We] sat right next to each other and from then on we started walking home together from class, and our dorms are pretty close to each other. And ever since, we just pretty much been together."