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Holly Mendenhall is Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s wife. The couple have three sons together, and are both avid horseback riders. They have three sons named Cutter, Breaker, and Raeder. They are practicing Mormons.
According to a report by The Salt Lake Tribune, Holly had become “disillusioned” with the BYU fan base and its apparent frustration with the football team’s record by the time Mendenhall left for Virginia. She has self-published multiple books, including a book on budgeting and the Couger Football Cookbook, published when her husband was still coaching BYU.
Holly is originally from Missoula, Montana, per Bronco’s BYU coaching bio. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Holly & Bronco Were Friends for Decades, Then Sparked a Romantic Relationship After Running Into One Another at an Airport
Virginia HC Bronco Mendenhall and his family of 5 are living in a RV, and they’re loving it t.co/W0euvTDDFo
A 2005 profile of Holly in The Deseret News shows just how she and Bronco came together. The pair were were introduced by a mutual friend in college while they were hundreds of miles away from one another, and proceeded to date long distance before breaking up. Then, they were friends for a number of years. They rekindled their relationship after they ran into one another at an airport, the publication reports; from there, it was history. They were married, and would go on to have three sons together.
Holly and Bronco both grew up in horse-loving households. Holly attended the University of Montana and graduated with a French degree. After graduation, Holly ran her own travel agency for a period of time, per The Deseret News. She also worked at a dude ranch in Montana for a period of time. She has even worked at Euro Disney in Paris for a collection in months.
2. Holly & Bronco Have Three Sons Together, Named Cutter, Breaker, & Raeder
Bronco Mendenhall and family after their press conference at UVA.
Holly and Bronco have three young sons together.
As for their unusual names, Holly explained the reasoning behind all three of them to The Deseret News:
“[Cutter is] after cutting horses. It was the name we picked whether it was a boy or a girl.”
“[Breaker Blu] comes from the break in the waves, and Bronco loves surfing. Breaker is also the name of a famous horse trainer.”
“[Raeder Steel is named] after my father, Rae. We both liked Steel for the middle name. People hear the names Bronco and Raeder and think we’re (Denver) Bronco and (Oakland) Raider fans.”
In the past, Holly has divulged some of her parental strategies for taking care of her boys. She doesn’t allow them to watch television on weekdays, for example.
3. Holly Has Said That She “Cares,” But Also “Doesn’t Care” About Football
#UVa coach Bronco Mendenhall and family.
To The Deseret News in 2005, Holly admitted that she didn’t care much about football, and wasn’t very knowledgable about the sport. She said, “I’m the least knowledgeable of any wife on the coaching staff. After eight years (of marriage), maybe I won’t get it. People try to hit me up for information (about BYU football), and I have no idea. I care, but I don’t care.”
As for Bronco, he told the publication that he appreciates his wife’s lack of interest in the sport itself — particularly because of the fact that her support for him is so unwavering.
“She likes to go to the games but really doesn’t know what’s going on,” he explained. “She knows who’s on offense and who’s on defense. She just goes to support me and whatever team I’m coaching. Holly’s interest is one of support rather than a student of the game. Nor does she have a desire to learn the intricacies of the game. She wants to know the coaches’ wives, the players’ wives, and what’s going on in their lives. She’s very concerned about that part and trying to fulfill whatever role she needs to in that regard. But the actual game itself is just something fun to go to.”
4. The Mendenhall Family Pledged $500,000 Towards a Virginia Football Operations Center in 2018
Listen to Holly & Bronco Mendenhall discuss family, football & priorities right now @BYURadio http://t.co/ZEusqgZ8E6 http://t.co/WWxG18AEKe
In 2018, Bronco and Holly Mendenhall confirmed that they would be pledging a record-breaking $500,000 to launch a fundraising kick for Virginia football’s pending Operations Center.
In a news release, Bronco said, “Holly and I are excited to be a part of the process that transforms Virginia football. We love developing young people through football and the new Football Operations Center will provide our young men a home where they can develop into exceptional football players, students and leaders.”
The family gift was the largest donation from any head coach in the history of UVA. Mendenhall’s salary in 2018 was $3.55 million; $500,000 came from the University itself, with the rest coming from sponsors and donors through the Virginia Athletics Fund.
5. The Mendenhall Family Lived in an RV in 2016 When They First Moved to Virginia
I asked #UVA football coach Bronco Mendenhall for advice on a first wedding anniversary gift for my wife: “What I can tell you not to do is, I forgot my first anniversary. I do not recommend that.”
When the Mendenhalls first came to Virginia for Bronco’s head coaching gig, they bought a house in Charlottesville that needed extensive renovations. For the several months of renovations, the Mendenhall family lived in an RV on the property.
To ESPN at the time, Bronco explained that they were still only using the one usable bathroom inside the house.”You trek across the property,” he said. “I walked across one night in just my underwear, but no one’s out there. … When that room is targeted for demolition, we hope the hot water’s working in the RV by then.”
Bronco added, “We wanted to bring our family closer together, not only just literally but in reality. Proximity has helped that. We realize it could have gone the other way, but it’s been really interesting. I would highly recommend it.”