Just after the Hoyas’ 55-52 title-clinching victory over Lousiville, Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III handed some of the credit over to the Hoya faithful. “We need our fans,” he said.

When the game ended, Dan Porterfield (CAS ’83) and his future wife, Karen Herrling (CAS ’84, LAW ’90), began the walk to M Street. They didn’t know what they’d do once they got there, but they went along, in part because everyone else was doing it.

After all, Georgetown had just won its first, and still only, NCAA basketball championship.