BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — The question prompted Caitlyn Clem to raise her voice and respond with a tone of casual, but seemingly genuine, annoyance.
Clem is the acclaimed senior goaltender for the Wisconsin women's soccer team who represents a unique family tradition.
When the ninth-ranked Badgers host Michigan State in a Big Ten Conference matchup Thursday at the McClimon Soccer Complex, one of the story lines involves the Clem family DNA.
Caitlyn's older sister, Courtney, was a standout goalkeeper for the Spartans from 2011 to '14.
Caitlyn's younger sister, Madison, is now a freshman goaltender for MSU.
That the Clem sisters grew up and honed their family specialty not far from the Michigan State campus in East Lansing only adds to the intrigue.
But if you're looking for sibling rivalries or expansive egos, stop right there. Caitlyn made that point clear when asked which of the sisters was the better goaltender.
"I can't answer that," she said. "We're all very good goalkeepers."
What traits separate Caitlyn from her sisters when it comes to playing such a pressurized role.
"I don't know," she said, her voice a little louder. "These are hard questions. Next question."
Caitlyn took a breath.
"This is my family, man," she said.
A gifted one at that.
Courtney played in 52 games for the Spartans, finished with 1.16 goals-against average and .803 save ratio and 12 shutouts.
Caitlin ranks in the top 10 in career shutouts at Wisconsin with 23 and has been twice named to the all-Big Ten team.
Madison was an all-state selection in 2016 while at Williamston (Michigan) High School as a senior.
Throw in cousin Lauren Clem, a senior at Northwestern who recently worked her 40th career shutout, and you have an extraordinary legacy.
Caitlyn Clem (left, Wisconsin), Lauren Clem (middle, Northwestern), and Courtney Clem (right, Michigan State)
Their proud grandmother, Sharon Clem, has seen all four grow up playing the same position in a game they love.
"I would never say who's the best," Sharon said. "They're all the best in their own way.
"They were all very different styles, all four of them. They were good or they wouldn't be at Big Ten schools."
This cottage industry can be traced to brothers — Dean, father of Courtney, Caitlyn and Madison; Doug, father of Lauren — who either coached or found soccer tutors for their daughters.
Why did they all focus on goalkeeping?
"I guess the funny thing about why I became a goalie was that I was never good at running, so I got put into that position," Courtney said. "We all haven't been the best runners, so it was a natural fit for all of us."
For real?
"They were not speedsters," Grandma Sharon said.
Caitlyn said she fell in love with the position in part because it involved less running, but mainly because big sister blazed the trail.
"Courtney was the first and we all kind of followed," Caitlyn said. "My little sister watched both of us."
Courtney said she was cognizant of that sisterly attention on game day.
"I always played better when I had my family there," she said.
The four Clem goalkeepers have differing styles.
"I'm an engineer, so I'm process-oriented," Courtney said. "(Caitlyn) is just more athletic, a natural. She reacts more like a natural athlete. Madison is very technical as well. Lauren is a good mix."
Madison confirmed those assessments.
"Courtney is a little more technical and I think Caitlyn is really athletic and I'm kind of a mix between them," she said. "I know Lauren's super athletic and that's why she's been so successful."
None of the sisters have faced one another in college, a trend that will likely hold Thursday. Caitlyn is the starter for the Badgers — she's 7-1 with five shutouts and a 0.78 goals-against average — but Madison said she's likely going to redshirt.
"I love watching my sister play," Madison said. "It's going to be pretty weird, though, having my team play against her.
"We'll just see how it goes. I'm going to be cheering her on and cheering my team on."
Caitlyn is scheduled to face Lauren when the Badgers play at Northwestern on Oct. 15.
"It's always fun," Caitlyn said. "You get to look in the other goal and see a family member."
How did Caitlyn wind up at UW?
"I felt this was the best fit for me," she said. "It was immediate. My first day (in Madison) I'm like, 'Mom, dad, I'm going here.'"
Courtney, now an engineer for Kraft-Heinz in Chicago, endorsed the decision.
"I thought it was good because she wanted to create her own path and she has," she said of Caitlyn. "She's really made a name for herself at Wisconsin."
Madison has come to appreciate both routes.
"Growing up, seeing how successful they are, obviously I would want to follow in their footsteps," she said of Courtney and Caitlyn. "They've been able to help me so much over the years."
Caitlyn was asked if she had the Michigan State and Northwestern matches circled on her calendar.
"I'm a one-day-at-a-time person," she said. "I am not a plan-ahead person."
The Clem clan will be easy to find Thursday thanks to some unique attire.
"My daughter-in-law made us all split jerseys with State on one side and Wisconsin on the other," Grandma Sharon said, noting that the name "CLEM" is on the back of each one.
"She's a proud woman," Caitlyn said of her grandmother.
"Grandma and grandpa wear those proudly and so do mom and dad," Courtney said. "It's always a fun game for our family."
Caitlyn dismissed questions about who's the best goaltender among the sisters, but she was curious to hear what her siblings had to say.
Courtney?
"I can't say who's the best," she said.
Madison?
"I can't answer that, either," she said, laughing. "No comment."
It's probably good that they all agree.
