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Before they find themselves at the epicenter of the college football world, Ryan Day and his wife Ninawere just two kids playing tee-ball in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Day, 45, is now the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Nina, whom he married in June 2005, recently reflected on their time growing up together in the Northeast.
In an interview with Columbus in August 2024 WBNS 10TVNina said she and Ryan grew up “about a mile and a half apart” in Manchester. They went to the same elementary, middle, and high school and college, with both Ryan and Nina attending the University of New Hampshire, where Ryan was the quarterback on the football team.
“We saved a note — I think I was in 7th grade — that I wrote and said I’m going to marry Ryan,” Nina said. “We’ve always been best friends.
Nina even pulled out a photo from 1985 when they were on the same youth teeball team. “This is Ryan, this is my twin, Kelly, and this is me,” she said, pointing to the trio.
Before Ryan was named the head coach at Ohio State in 2018, his coaching career took him and his growing family – he and Nina are the parents of a son. RJ and daughters Grace and Nia — across the country, from college stops at schools like Boston College and Temple to NFL coaching with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
“We’ve moved 11 times in 15 years,” Nina told WBNS. “At that time, 3 children were born to us. So there was a lot. We’ve moved every year or every two years since we got married, probably when we got to Ohio State. It was very unstable for a long time.”
For the full timeline of Ryan and Nina’s relationship, keep reading.
2005
Ryan and Nina married while he was working as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida.
“We dated off and on and then once we graduated college we got back together and the rest is history,” Nina told WBNS.
She added: “There was always a comfort level with him. We are still best friends. I think that’s the best way a marriage can be. You’re with your best friend every day.”
2009
The couple welcomed their first child, son Ryan Jr. (RJ for short), during Ryan’s tenure as wide receivers coach at Boston College.
Nina admitted that being the son of a coach wasn’t always easy for her son growing up.
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“From 1st to 5th grade, he started school in one state and ended up in another school in another state,” she told WBNS. “He was in seven different elementary schools.
She added: “But it makes it much more durable.”
RJ is busy following in his father’s footsteps as a quarterback at DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio.
2011
Ryan and Nina welcomed their first daughter, Grace, while Day was still working at Boston College.
2014
The couple welcomed their third child, daughter Nia, after Day returned to Boston College as the school’s offensive coordinator after one season as the offensive coordinator at Temple University.
2020
Ryan lived separately from Nina and his three children for three months during the school’s COVID-affected football season to minimize the threat of contagion.
“It wasn’t easy,” Nina said Columbus’ expedition in January 2021. “For most of my life I could plan things and look ahead to the next week or the next three or four games. This year we literally lived hour by hour. I mean, every hour something comes up and I hold my breath every time I see my husband’s name on the phone because I’m like, ‘Oh my God. What now?”
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Nina openly admitted that it was even more difficult to have her husband in the house after the Big Ten suspended the start of its season due to the pandemic.
“It’s been a very difficult few weeks,” Nina said. “Even though he was home for the first time ever on the first day of school, and even though he could make the kids soccer and football games and pick them up from school at the weekend, it was a huge void. And being with Ryan those weeks was extremely difficult.’
2023
Prior to the start of his fifth full season as Ohio State’s head coach, Ryan shared a photo via Instagram his family returning home from vacation side by side with a picture from the same place four years ago.
“Time flies,” Ryan wrote. “First image: Winter 2019 before first season as HC. 2nd picture: On the way back to Columbus today. Season five just around the corner! Stronger than ever. Go Bucks!!”
2025
Nina and Grace were photographed celebrating with Ryan on the field after Ohio State beat the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
