Carley and Crystal Rote fall under the rare category of siblings that play on the same collegiate team. While Carley has been at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for three years, Crystal is concluding her first year in Pioneer orange and blue.
Carley and Crystal both play outfield for the Pioneers and are McConnell, Ill. natives. While attending Orangeville High School, Carley was third-team all-state, a three-time unanimous all-conference selection, named team captain as a junior and senior, and was a four-year letterwinner in softball and three-time winner in basketball.
Crystal was a two-time all-conference selection and helped Orangeville to win four straight regional titles.
They have grown together over the past year by playing on the same team. They each expressed their excitement in having been given the opportunity to play on the UW-Platteville softball team with one another.
Carley, junior graphic design major, said she was disappointed that the two never got to play on the same team in high school due to her sister’s injuries. Crystal, freshman animal science major, suffered two ACL injuries during her high school career.
The two played the same sports growing up including basketball, softball and volleyball. Both said that they were grateful to be able to play for the same team during the same season. Carley said it has strengthened their relationship. She also said it was not always this easy and there were struggles at the beginning of the season, but now the two are comfortable together and individually.
Carley finished with an edge over Crystal by batting 33-122 (.379) and ahead in RBIs with 26 compared to Crystal’s 19. It was Crystal’s bat which had more pop driving in six home runs compared to her older sister’s three.
“I’m older than Crystal so some expect me to do better, I just try my hardest to do my personal best because my sister is a very good player,” Carley said.
In her first season as a Pioneer, Crystal played in 10 more games and saw 43 more appearances at the plate the other freshmen on the team.
“I have to try my hardest to live up to my expectations. I’m her little sister and don’t want to disappoint her or my team,” Crystal said.
Head coach Lee Negrelli said that the two work well on the team and bring in a family aspect. Carley is older so in practice she can be more of a team leader while Crystal can be more reserved.
“There is an extraordinary bond between these two, on and off the field,” Negrelli said.
An important key to their relationship is that they do not try to outdo the other. The two said that they have their moments when they pick on each other, but it is always in good fun.
“She picks on me a lot, but that’s to be expected because I pick on her too,” Crystal said.
Carley and Crystal will return next year with the hopes to help anchor the team together.