University of Wisconsin defenders Stacy Omundson and Mary Omundson have enjoyed playing soccer together since they were little, but still find time to have fun off the field.

"She comes over to my apartment all the time because the dorms are not very exciting," Stacy said, smiling at her sister.

"We run together and we both spend a lot of time in the training room being injured," she added.

"She has a car up here, so she shares it," Mary said in laughter.

Though they may spend a lot of time together off the field, the two are inseparable on the field. During practice, older sister Stacy keeps a close eye on Mary, in hopes of watching her play to her maximum potential.

The two sisters also maintain an open level of communication and are not afraid to help motivate each other.

"In the beginning of the year we always got put on the same practice team," Stacy said.

"The communication is definitely there and I know how she can take certain things. Like I know she will not get angry if I start yelling at her, or vise versa. I know her potential and she knows mine from the past and I can definitely tell when she is not working hard. So communication is there."

Come game time, both of their anticipation levels run high, as the two are constantly keeping tabs on one another.

"You are looking out for yourself, but you are also looking out for someone else as well," Stacy said. "You want them to play just as well as you play. You are now nervous for two people, instead of just one. It is kind of weird … we definitely like it."

The two Evanston, Ill., natives could not be more proud of one another and neither could their parents.

"They love it," Stacy said enthusiastically. "They always came up for my games last year, and now that [Mary] is here they are up every weekend."

Although the two sisters are currently the only two teammates related to each other, they are not the only two UW soccer players that have found success from a sibling bond. Wisconsin head coach Dean Duerst once played as a Badger with his brother and is intrigued to have both Omundson sisters on the team.

"I always find it interesting because I played here with my brother," Duerst said. "There is actually a long history of siblings on the team. So, it has been nice to be a part of that."

Duerst is also quick to note the differences and similarities in both sisters.

"They are very different … [but] have similar traits. Stacy is older with more experience and Mary is coming in fresh. They are both pretty comfortable on the ball. They grew up playing for a great team in Chicago and that has helped them both prepare for college. It is interesting because both of them play in the back and you are always telling the same information to both of them. They both kind of feed off one another."

Stacy and Mary are not the only two to have fun with each other on the field. Duerst likes to put the two on the spot in hopes that one will share a funny story about the other.

"It is good for team chemistry," Duerst explained with a chuckle. "You try to get one of them to tell a joke about the other or play games with them. But the fall is serious, so that is more for the spring."

With Stacy already at Wisconsin, it was natural for her freshman sister to look no further than the UW.

"I already knew a lot of people through her," Mary said. "I also already knew my way around campus."

"Mary had already known that Wisconsin was a great place and Madison was a great city with a wonderful soccer program," Duerst added. "She probably initially wanted to go somewhere different than her sister, but when it came down to it, she knew this was a great place and that she would have a great time."

And since Mary's arrival, it has been apparent both sisters have been having a great time together. The two have also benefited from the bond of sisterhood on and off the field.