Michelle Young

Michelle Young grew up in Edina, Minnesota, and attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where she played Division 1 basketball from 2011 to 2015. Upon graduation, Young became an elementary school teacher, working with fifth graders in Bloomington, Minnesota, before going on reality TV.

She joined season 25 of The Bachelor as a new contestant in week three, which aired in January 2021, and quickly became a fan favorite. Young was the runner-up for Matt James’ season, losing out to controversial contestant Rachael Kirkconnell.

During the show’s March 2021 After the Final Rose special, she was named as the season 18 Bachelorette.

Young accepted a proposal from frontrunner Nayte Olukoya during the December 2021 finale, revealing at the After the Final Rose special that he intended to move to her native Minnesota. They confirmed their split in June 2022.

Young later started dating Jack Leius and the pair made their relationship official in October 2023. In December 2024, the couple announced they had gotten engaged two months prior. Young and Leius tied the knot in June 2025.