Jordan has had success in his new sport as well, as he is currently preparing for nationals while pursuing the opportunity to race for a U-23 triathlon development team once he is out of college.

But looking at the rest of the Diekema family, it’s no wonder where Courtney and Jordan get their athleticism.

The siblings’ father, Jeff Diekema, is a member of the Central Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame and coached the Wellesley swim team for a year. Their siblings’ mother coached a high school team, and their older sister, Megan, was a swimmer at Calvin College.

“Swimming was inevitable for us,” Jordan said.

Even Courtney swam until the end of her freshman year of high school.

“The coach told me I’d have to quit soccer if I wanted to keep swimming,” Courtney said. “So I quit swimming to play soccer.”

“He told me the same thing, but I actually listened to him,” Jordan added.

At Harvard, sports continue to be a huge part of Courtney and Jordan’s life, just as they were while the two were living at home in Michigan.

All of Jordan’s roommates joined the swim team freshmen year, and Courtney lives and remains close with her friends from the soccer team.

“When you’re on a team you spend all that time with your teammates so you don’t necessarily get out that group very often,” Jordan said. “It’s nice now to be on the cycling team because I have a different group I can associate with while still having my group from the swim team.”

“I feel like if I ever needed anything, there’s definitely someone on my team who is willing and can help,” Courtney added. “And so now I have double resources—soccer and crew—which means a lot.”

—Staff writer Marlee Melendy can be reached at melendy@college.harvard.edu.