Courtnie Hogan ’25 (left) celebrates with her twin sister and teammate Natalie Hogan ’25 during a women’s hockey game.

Double the Team, Double the Dream: Student-Athlete Twins Thrive Together

Twins are rare. They make up a mere 3 percent of all births in the U.S. But this year at SNC, four sets of student-athlete twins compete as Green Knights: Courtnie and Natalie Hogan ’25 (women’s hockey), Alisha and Myah Draeger ’26 (women’s swimming), Cameron and Cooper Morris ’27 (men’s hockey), and Ben and Will Swicionis ’27 (men’s soccer).

All of the twins we spoke with were crossing their fingers that they’d end up at the same college as their sibling, yet they knew there was no guarantee. So all were pleasantly surprised, and excited, to land at St. Norbert together.

“Having your built-in best friend around all the time is great,” says Cameron Morris, a forward on the hockey team.

His brother, Cooper, plays defense. Yet despite their different positions, the two are competitive with one another.

“You know you want to push him to be his best, yet also be better than him,” Cameron says.

The Hogan twins agree that playing a sport with your twin affords you an immediate “bestie,” plus ensures you won’t slack off.

“Accountability is one of the biggest things we’ve gained from going to the same college,” says Courtnie Hogan. “We always work out at the same time, but if Natalie goes out for a run or extra workout, I’ll do the same. It’s an added motivation that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

Will and Ben Swicionis say they can’t think of any negative to playing soccer at SNC with their twin. (The two also have an older brother, Jack Swicionis ‘25, who competes on the soccer team.) “You’ve always got someone there to put a hand on your shoulder and say, ‘You’ve got this,’” Will says.

There’s an advantage by having played the same sport with their twin for so many years, says Courtnie: “Having played with Natalie for so long, I know her playing style. We can predict each other’s next moves, and we always know where each other is out there on the ice. It’s a special chemistry that’s different from others.”

Surprisingly — or perhaps not — all four sets of twins elected to room with their sibling, too. And so far, they all say the experience has been wonderful.

“Sharing a room has been a no-brainer,” says Courtnie. “We’re so close, Natalie is the last person I’d fight with.”

The Swicionis’ parents encouraged Ben and Will to room together, noting they already knew each other’s habits and tendencies. There would also be a financial savings, their father said, as they’d only have to purchase one TV, one dorm fridge, etc.

Yet another bonus to rooming with your twin? You’ve got a built-in study partner, the Morrises say. The two are both business administration majors – and were in three classes together last semester – so it’s been easy to quiz one another before exams. (And yes, they chose to sit next to one another in those three classes, too.)

To those pondering whether or not to attend the same college as a sibling — whether or not you’re a twin — the sets of twins we spoke with say to go for it. “If you’re super close to a sibling, going to the same college is a great opportunity to stay close with them for the next four years,” says Will.

“When we get older, we might go our separate ways,” says Cooper. “So you have to appreciate the time you have with your siblings.”

Feb. 20, 2024