When looking through major sports, it is not very often you get to see siblings compete together, at the same time, on the same playing surface.
Notable sibling factions include Nick and Joey Bosa, Serena and Venus Williams and the three Watt Brothers.
Here at Bowling Green State University, Falcon Athletics is lucky enough to have their own dynamic sibling duo: Nikki and Katie Cox, key players on the women’s soccer team.
In fall 2019, the most recent season for BGSU women’s soccer, the two sisters were both a part of a team that captured a MAC championship for the second time in two years. But for the Cox sisters, the dream started a long time ago.
In their backyard many years ago, the sisters passed the ball around and created fake plays that they would execute together. They both talked about what it was like to be able to get where they are today.
“Growing up as a younger sister you always look up to your older sister. And then when (Nikki) went off to college, it motivated me because I wanted to go Division I too,” Katie said.
Although the siblings are in the same place now, the road to BGSU wasn’t the same for both.
Nikki played four games at UNC-Wilmington before receiving a medical redshirt due to injury.
Then after Katie was recruited by former BGSU coach Matt Fannon, Nikki transferred to BGSU, and the sisters were set to play together once again after Katie signed to become a part of the class of 2019.
“It was something that wasn’t planned and just ended up happening,” said Katie.
As far as the success the team experienced in the duo’s first year together, they claimed the MAC title and played in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.
Neither of the sisters were reluctant when talking about what it meant to win the 2019 MAC Championship together.
“When we were in high school together we made it to the state title game and lost, so it was really cool to be able to get and ring and do something important like that together,” said Nikki.
Although the fall 2020 season was postponed, BGSU women’s soccer are certainly favorites for spring 2021 as they pursue their third MAC Championship in a row. Both girls talked about the upcoming season and their next goal — being able to win an NCAA Tournament game, together.
