By Jordan Zuniga
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On the eve of their conference opener, Iowa soccer has a 5-2 record, a chunk of that success can be attributed to the play of two sisters, Corey and Devin Burns.
Devin, the younger of the two, leads the Hawkeyes in goals (5) and points (12), while Corey has been an anchor on a Hawkeye defense that has only allowed 7 goals in 7 games.
During games, the sisters are a perfect team, one scoring goals while the other prevents them, but on the practice field, they are often pitted against each other.
“When I see her [in practice] I know I can’t let her beat me because [my teammates] are going to make a comment if I don’t beat her,” Devin said.
The practice field isn’t the only place where the two sisters compete against each other; when not playing soccer, they find other ways to one-up each other.
“We’re very competitive,” Corey said. “Everything is kind of a competition in our entire family.”
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Over the course of their careers, the two sisters have played side by side several times, the most recent before coming to Iowa in high school at at Loyola Academy.
During that season, the Burns sisters were instrumental in beating their high school’s rival in the state playoffs.
“My freshman year, [Corey’s] senior year, we beat our rival high school in the state playoffs,” said Devin. “The score was 1-0, and she assisted and I scored, so it was really exciting.”
Bill Burns, the sisters’ father, attended the University of Iowa before either was born, so when it came time for Corey to pick a school, Iowa was an easy choice.
Not long after Corey took with the Hawkeyes, it was time for Devin to choose a school. With her father being an alumnus and her sister and brother, Johnny Burns, already Hawkeyes, it made sense for Devin to carry on the family tradition.
“We all kind of knew all along that she was meant to be here,” Corey said. “Our entire family went here, so it’s kind of like everyone’s a Hawkeye.”
Both sisters have enjoyed their time together at Iowa, and head coach Dave DiIanni has also enjoyed the passion the two have brought to the program.
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“They are two individuals who compete every day, loving this opportunity to play for the Black and Gold,” DiIanni said. “They have a unique bond that can’t be found in anyone else in our program.”
Just like any other siblings, each has her peccadillos with the other. Corey dislikes Devin’s eye roll, and Devin finds it easy to roll her eyes when her older sister tells her to wash the dishes.
But both sisters appreciate the kinship that comes with having a sister as a teammate and classmate.
“I mean, it’s just a given best friend,” Corey said. “If no one else is around, I’m like ‘you’re going out to eat with me.’”
Unfortunately, this season will be the last time both will be in a Hawkeye uniform together; Corey is playing out her last year of eligibility.
Both sisters and the rest of the Hawkeyes have preped for their conference opener, 7 p.m. Friday, where they will take on No. 7 Penn State at the Iowa Soccer Complex.