Most couples who meet in college have interesting stories, but few can say they went on to raise an NHL star.
Kevin ’89 and Denise ’89 (Jordan) Larkin met in class and fell in love while attending the University of Southern Indiana in the mid-1980s. Originally from the Toronto, Canada area, Kevin was recruited to play soccer for USI. He majored in communications and met Denise, who was a local student studying political science. They were engaged while still students and married not long after graduation. Denise began working as a probation officer for the Gibson Superior Court in Princeton, Indiana. Meanwhile, Kevin met a fellow Canadian at an Evansville restaurant who sparked his interest in the salon product supply business.
The Larkins as students at USI
Kevin was not a fan of southern Indiana summers, and the Larkins eventually moved further north to the Detroit, Michigan, area. Denise continued working as a probation officer and Kevin started Lake Superior Beauty Supply, a salon product distribution company.
As youth, their sons Colin and Dylan were both stand-out athletes in hockey and soccer. After many years playing both sports, the expenses and time commitments became too much, and the Larkins made the boys choose one sport to continue playing. Both sons chose hockey. Colin was a star athlete at UMass Boston where he was one of the top players in the program’s history. Dylan’s career took him to the National Hockey League where he is currently the captain of the Detroit Red Wings. He recently had the opportunity to represent Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off and is a 3-time NHL All Star. The Larkin’s love watching Dylan play so close to home and attend as many games as possible.
The Larkins today with their sons Colin and DylanThe Larkins visit family in Evansville on a regular basis. They recently brought their dog on campus with them to admire the changes and updates since their time as students. “We love seeing how much USI has grown,” Kevin said. “It is a beautiful campus.”