Julie and Rebecca Cronin have continued to excel for track and field and they owe their success to each other’s support.

Due to a stress fracture in her shin, Rebecca Cronin, senior middle distance runner, was forced to miss all but one meet during her junior season. She is trying to make her last year as a Huskie with sister Julie Cronin a special one.

Having her sister healthy and able to practice with her every day is something Julie Cronin didn’t have last season.

“I’m glad to have her back again,” Julie Cronin said. “It’s great to have someone to work out with and have someone there going through what I’m going through since we are the only ones from the sprinter group that run the 800. So, it is always nice to have someone to do the workouts with and warm up for the races and prepare with.”

Not only do they practice together, they have raced in the exact same heats together.

“Practicing every day together is awesome because we definitely push each other each day in practice,” Rebecca Cronin said. “Then, so far this year, actually, we have been in the same heat for every race we have been in; that has been kind of exciting. We get to go from what we have been practicing and work on what we’ve been practicing and put it into a race, and we are still there pushing each other every step of the way, so it is a lot of fun.”

The Cronins have been a part of nine NIU records, relay and individual. They said the records are something they are proud of, and it’s not every day a person can share an accomplishment like that with a member of his or her family.

“It is fun knowing that we have those records together,” Julie Cronin said. “I hope they stay for a long time. It shows that we were here together.”

Of nine records, Rebecca Cronin holds three individuals records, while Julie Cronin holds one. They share the remaining five records.

“It is definitely awesome because having the records with my sister,” Rebecca Cronin said. “A lot of people don’t even get the chance to compete anything with their family members, and to be able to be in the record book with her, it’s just great. Our family loves seeing it as well.”

This weekend, the Cronins, along with the rest of the Huskies, will travel to Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Relays hosted by Indiana University.

Rebecca Cronin had some success at this meet last season. Out of the 36 runners that ran the 600-meter race, she finished with an event title.

“Winning always gives you more confidence,” Rebecca Cronin said. “So I’m just going to Indiana to try and better my time again, and hopefully run even faster this year. And if I happen to win again this year, that is great too.”

The Indiana Relays was the lone race Rebecca Cronin competed in last season, as she missed the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in her shin.