Joe Betterman and Deanna Rix have been together for just over a year and a half and are planning their wedding for June 2012.

Greco-Roman wrestler Joe Betterman and women’s freestyler Deanna Rix are tying up more than just their competition. They’re engaged, and looking to tie the knot in June 2012.

After just over a year and a half together, the two wrestlers are getting married just after the Olympic Trials in April.

“We want to plan out the wedding before the Trials,” said Rix. 

“The Trials are in April. We get about a month before the wedding [in June],” Betterman said.

Both are legitimate Olympic prospects. Joe won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials but could not compete because the USA did not qualify the weight class. He was also a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. Deanna placed fifth at the 2008 and 2009 World Championships.

The two met through the sport. They became friends after meeting at Northern Michigan where they trained at the U.S. Olympic Education Center. They became a couple after coming to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

“It helps a lot being in the same sport because you know what they’re going through. You’re going through that same thing. It’s nice having that,” said Rix. “I knew that I would have to marry a wrestler because of that.”

While there is an understanding of the sports demands, it doesn’t make some parts of the relationship any easier. Both agree that it’s hard when they’re dropping weight. In spite of the challenges, they enjoy helping each other out, no matter what.

“Wrestling comes first,” said Betterman. “We’re both really competitive.”

Their competitive nature even shows when joking about who would win if they competed against each other.

“I’d win,” Rix said immediately. But Betterman wouldn’t back down from the challenge either. They’re about the same weight now, with Deanna competing at 130 lbs and Joe at 132 lbs.

They had an early Valentines gift the first weekend in February when both won their third career Dave Schultz Memorial International titles on the same weekend.

Their competitive mindset requires them to travel across the country and the world to improve. Betterman is leaving for Cuba in a few days, and later Rix will be going to France. By the time they’ll be together next it will be March.

“It’s hard being apart. We know we have to do it,” said Rix. “But we know we’ll only be gone for two or three weeks at a time.”

While this Valentine’s Day they won’t be together to exchange gifts, they’re looking forward to the possibility of the best wedding present: both of them competing in the Olympics.

“It’d be the icing on the cake,” Betterman said.