For Villanova twins, a case of divided loyalties

On Friday night, Caroline and Katherine Coyer will walk into Lincoln Financial Field most likely amid tons of stares.

The twin sisters will be wearing cherry Temple jerseys with white No. 10 numbers. From the waist down, they'll wear Villanova gear.

The 'Nova freshmen will root openly for Temple while watching most of the Mayor's Cup from the Wildcats student section.

"It's just such a conflict of interest, I guess," said Caroline, who along with Katherine is a member of the Villanova women's basketball team. "But, obviously family comes first. We want our brother to do well."

Their brother is quarterback Chris Coyer, arguably the face of Temple's program.

In what is the last scheduled game in the rivalry, the redshirt junior is expected to lead the Owls to a third straight victory over Villanova.

The Coyer sisters, Minnesota natives who grew up in Northern Virginia, attended the previous two meetings. In fact, they've watched plenty of Temple games with their parents, Chris and Nancy, over the last three years.

"I guess I never realized the huge rivalry between Temple and Villanova before we started going to Temple games, and people would be like, 'Oh, my gosh. You are going to Villanova? What? Oh my goodness. How could you do that?,' " Katherine said. "It's definitely going to be weird Friday."

One can argue that it's already weird. Several Villanova football players asked the twins this week if they are related to Chris.

When the Wildcats find out, "They are like, 'Oh, no,' " Katherine said. "They are like, 'That's so weird.' Some [players] are like, 'We are going to hurt him. I'm going to kick his butt. He's not going to get past us.' "

All jokes aside, the twin chose Villanova's scholarship offers over Pittsburgh, Florida State, Texas Christian and Princeton partly because Chris attends Temple.

"We are really family oriented," Caroline said. "And it's really nice to have him a half hour away to go to dinner here and there. If we need anything, we know he is right there."

But the 18-year-old twins view Chris as more than just someone who will provide meals. He is their role model. A standout student-athlete, the 22-year-old set an example for the twins to follow at an early age.

A finance major, Chris carries a 3.1 grade point average, and he created a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Temple.

"He's kind of like the golden child in our family," said Katherine, who has always worn No. 10 in honor of her brother. "He's like the perfect person. He never gets in trouble or anything."

While Chris just laughs at her observation, he admits to trying to be on his best behavior around his sisters.

"I'm trying to be a great example for them because they and my parents are the most important people in my life," he said. "They are the people that I care about the most."

Stellar students in their own right, the twins graduated from Oakton High School in Virginia with identical 3.8 grade point averages. They also led the Cougars to a 31-0 record and a state championship last season.

Caroline, a 5-foot-10 point guard, finished her career with 1,580 points and 593 assists, and Oakton retired her No. 5 jersey. Katherine, a 5-11 shooting guard, finished with 1,178 career points. For the first time in four years, Chris will be able to consistently attend their games this basketball season.

"That's something that I missed," Coyer said. "I always loved watching them compete and love watching them play. I think it is going to be real special."

So special that Chris might slip on a Wildcats jersey when Villanova plays Temple in a women's basketball game in 2013-14, the season the Owls join the Big East for all sports.

"At the end of the day, although they go to Villanova, they are Temple football fans," Coyer said of his sisters. "And although I go to Temple, I'm a Villanova women's basketball fan."

Watch Temple football coach Steve Addazio talking about Friday's game aginat Villanova on

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