Friday Features: Family Ties Abound Across Houghton Teams

3/28/2019 12:07:06 PM

On September 4, Nicole Jennings scored the opening goal in an 8-1 victory over Wells College on a pass from her sister, Caitlin. It would be the first of five goals this season on which the sisters would connect.
 
On September 15, Ally and Jenna Bittinger became the first Houghton volleyball sibling pair to notch double-doubles in a match since moving to Division III. 
 
On October 2, Stephanie and Jessica Beattie both scored goals for the women's soccer team in a 7-0 win over Wells.
 
Family ties have always been a hallmark of the Houghton experience, and the athletic field has proven no different. This year, eight different sibling pairs have taken the fields and courts to compete for the purple and gold, and an additional 15 current student-athletes have followed in the footsteps of an older sibling who previously competed for the Highlanders. And another four siblings of current athletes could be joining Highlander teams as freshmen this fall.

Here's the List of Current Sibling Pairs Currently at Houghton:
Jessica Beattie (Sr., Women's Soccer) & Stephanie Beattie (So., Women's Soccer)
Ally Bittinger (Jr., Volleyball) & Jenna Bittinger (Fr., Volleyball)
Andrew Bussey (Sr., Men's Soccer) & Daniel Bussey (Jr., Men's Soccer)
Caitlyn Cybart (So., Women's Basketball & Softball) & Hannah Cybart (So., Women's Basketball & Softball)
Sarah Hoag (Jr., Women's Soccer) & Alexa Hoag (Fr., Women's Soccer)
Nicole Jennings (Sr., Field Hockey) & Caitlin Jennings (So., Field Hockey)
Darcy Mitchell (Sr., Men's Soccer) & Reegan Mitchell (Fr., Women's Soccer & Lacrosse)
Dominik Sullivan (So., Cross Country/Track & Field) & Shawn Sullivan (Fr., Cross Country/Track & Field)
   

We recently asked several of the sibling pairs to answer a few questions about their experiences together at Houghton, and in athletics:
 
What has been the best part of having your sibling on campus/on your team?
 
Ally Bittinger: Having my sister here… is like having a piece of home with me every day. The Houghton volleyball team is my family [away from home], and Jenna adds to that family so naturally. I enjoy having lunch dates with her and checking in daily to see how life is going. It's much easier to grow our relationship here at Houghton rather than it was when she was still back home.
 
Jenna Bittinger: Ally has always been my best friend… and has always been my leader through life. She's only 15 months older than me and being so close in age has really allowed us to relate in so many different ways! Being at Houghton with her is like having a little piece of home with me all of the time. It's super fun playing together, having sleepovers in her townhouse and eating meals together! Knowing that God could take us to completely different places after college, it's nice to have these last two years to spend with each other (just like we did as kids/teens)!
 
Shawn Sullivan: The best part of having my brother on campus and on the cross country team is that we both know the best ways to encourage and drive each other to success. As a freshman, it was difficult for me to change to a new team and atmosphere, but Dominik really helped me and introduced me to the team.
 
Dominik Sullivan: The ability to have someone from my actual family come and be a part of my family here at Houghton College has given me the ability to integrate the two and grow as a person.
 
How are you and your sibling similar or different on the court/field?
 
Hannah Cybart: Both my sister and I tend to approach the sports we play with a lot of enthusiasm; we love to cheer really loud and jump around a lot.
 
Caitlyn Cybart: On the basketball court, I think my sister is generally more aggressive and more of a natural scorer than I am.  On the softball field, she and I are fairly similar apart from the positions we play—she plays middle infield and pitches while I play corners and catch.
 
What were sports like in your home when you were growing up?  What role has sports played in your relationship with your sibling(s)?
 
Jessica Beattie: Sports were a pivotal part of growing up in our house. We attended a small high school so we played on almost every sports team. Growing up I played on some teams with my older brother who also attended Houghton. All of us were always competitive with each other each finding the sport we were best at with a never-ending drive to play our best. Sports gave us something in common and has helped built our relationships to the place they are now.
 
Darcy Mitchell: Sports were pretty important in the Mitchell household. Everything was a competition. Our parents were constantly driving us to practices and games for the various sports we played. Sports brought us closer together because we would [spent so much time] traveling different places together.
 
Reegan Mitchell: Sports were huge in my house. My dad had us playing sports since we were young. Darcy and [Dad] watched hockey every night it was on and I faked like I did by memorizing a few names, but as soon as Darcy quizzed me on details of the game I normally failed. When it came to playing outside I was normally told I had to be the goalie. 
 
Shawn Sullivan: Sports were super competitive in our home. We all wanted to win and would trash talk each other all the time. It was really an awesome time and bonding for us.
 
Dominik Sullivan: Sports in my home were always encouraged, mostly for the activity and a way to get us out of the house. My brother and I always played sports outside—football, basketball, soccer, or cycling—to grow closer together and just have fun, and we continue to do this to this very day.
 
How is your relationship with your sibling different than with your other teammates?
 
Ally Bittinger: I consider my teammates to be my family, but my sister is a whole different relationship. Playing beside my sister is effortless and we connect really well together. Jenna's name is the fastest thing that comes out of my mouth on the court when I'm encouraging her to get a ball. It is so natural and something I don't even have to think about. Likewise, her voice sticks out the most and is the easiest for me to hear on the court when she tells me where to hit the ball against the other team. Sometimes I'm convinced we have sibling telepathy on the court, it's pretty cool!
 
Jenna Bittinger: Most of the time playing with your sibling is an AWESOME experience but there's a closeness that allows us to pick at each other on the court- thankfully in college we haven't had any sibling issues on the court yet.  Also, I always feel more comfortable opening up to my sister because of how well she knows me, but as the time go by I'm sure my other teammates will become like sisters to me as well.
 
Hannah Cybart: My relationship with my sister is different from that with my other teammates because I know that I can express my opinion openly and honestly with her, without worrying that she might get offended or angry with me (although the latter can sometimes be hit or miss).
 
Caitlyn Cybart: The biggest difference between my relationship with my sister and my relationship with my other teammates is that I relate to my sister much more intuitively. I can anticipate her actions and what plays she is going to make on the court much more easily than my other teammates, just because I know her so well and have played with her for so long.
 
What is your favorite shared sports memory with your sibling?
 
Ally Bittinger: My favorite sports memory with Jenna happened [this fall] on our home court. The score was tight with and we had a long rally and needed to put the ball away to get the point. I remember setting Jenna a fast ball to the outside pin and she absolutely CRUSHED IT! It was super intense and I was so overjoyed for her that I ran to her, put my hand on her head and hugged her with everything I had. That moment was filled with so much emotion for me because I realized how blessed I am that God has given me the opportunity to play collegiately alongside my best friend!
 
Jenna Bittinger: I remember going out in our back yard and trying to learn how to play the different sports that Ally played. She was my role model and I wanted to be able to do all that she could. When she played softball I would always ask her to go out and teach me how to do it. When she tried a year of field hockey, I made her take me out back and teach me how to do it. When she played basketball we went out on the driveway and shot baskets for hours. When she mastered skateboarding I made her struggle through teaching me how to do that too. When she first started volleyball we were always out back trying to pass the ball back and forth and master the skills!  I'll always remember those backyard sports sessions with my big sister! 
 
Hannah Cybart: One of my favorite sports memories with my sister came when we were playing at PONY Fastpitch Softball Nationals in Virginia for our 16u travel team. Our team was tied going into the final inning of the semifinal game, and had to come up with just one run to make it to the championship. I came up to bat with one out and hit a double, then one batter and one more out later my sister did the same thing. It was an awesome way to win, but it was even better because it was my sister who got the walk-off hit.
 
Caitlyn Cybart: My favorite sports memory with my sister is the second half of a basketball game against our rival team during our senior year of high school. After playing the majority of the first half, my sister and I were pulled from the game, along with the rest of our starters, because our team was winning by a lot. For the rest of the game, I joked with my sister and cheered on the rest of my teammates from the bench. This is my favorite memory because when I recall it I get to experience all the things I love about sports: the thrill of competition, the joy of watching my teammates succeed with or without my help, and having fun with my sister.
 
Jessica Beattie: Steph always brings her bible on the bus with her and one time on the way home we just talked about God together. 
[I would also include] every time I get to play with her because it's pretty rare to be able to say "I played on the same collegiate soccer team as my sister". It's something I am extremely thankful for.
 
Her first collegiate goal was pretty cool too.

- Information and the video within this release provided by the athletic communications staff at Houghton -

ABOUT THE FRIDAY FEATURES SERIES
The Friday Feature series is designed to spotlight the exciting initiatives that are going on within the nine member institutions that make up the Empire 8 Conference. Every other Friday we will spotlight one of the many ways in which our membership is providing opportunities and developments to enhance the experience and offerings for their students. 

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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and https://youtu.be/wzL4HcDoUUQ