Rithi and Binuk met while they were both living in Melbourne, Australia. Rithi went to a sports bar called Turf to meet up with friends and watch her hometown team, the Golden State Warriors, play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. All the tables were taken, so she stood in a corner to watch the game and wait for her friends. Binuk had a table with his co-workers and noticed Rithi standing alone watching the game. He invited her, and her friends, to share his table. “We watched the rest of the game together,” shared Rithi, “and the rest is history!” 

Born in New Delhi, India, Rithi grew up in the Bay Area of California. Through childhood, she danced extensively, attending practices daily after school and all day on Saturdays. Ballet and contemporary were always her favorite. While at UC Davis, Rithi founded a dance team, Elite Dance Company. She led the team in performances that raised awareness and resources for various causes. “After graduation, I passed it on to the younger students to carry the torch, creating a legacy for future competitive dancers to support a cause while showcasing their talent.” 

Rithi works as a Group Product Manager at Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company. She leads teams building software used by events within the Endeavor portfolio. Most recently Rithi worked on the 2024 Paris Olympics. She spent one month in Paris to train staff on the software and then stayed through the games to observe usage for future iterations. “And I enjoyed the games! The highlight for me was watching Simone Biles win gold live.” Rithi has a B.A. in Economics and an M.B.A. specializing in International Business. 

Binuk was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and grew up in Perth, Australia playing cricket and Australian Rules Football (AFL). After graduating high school, he took a gap year, playing professional cricket in Sri Lanka. Binuk completed a B.A. in Law & Commerce and later received an M.B.A. from Duke University. 

Following his life-long passion, Binuk is Chief Football Strategy Officer for Duke Football, a challenging role leading the program’s NIL efforts through the changing landscape of college football. “I lead our analytics efforts in game-planning, roster construction, and recruiting, both in the portal and from high school. My previous role as the Head of Analytics and Football Innovation with the Adelaide Crows (Australian Rules Football), where I was tasked with player evaluation and salary cap management, has helped me bring innovative ideas to the Duke Football program.” 

Still relatively new to Durham, Rithi and Binuk have enjoyed weekend getaways exploring the southeast for the past couple of years, traveling to Nashville, Knoxville, the beaches at the Outer Banks, Wilmington, Folly Beach, and Charleston.