Eli and Peyton Manning, Pedro and Ramon Martinez, John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh, Brayden and Luke Schenn. No matter the sport or team, siblings can be found often in sports. Having a set of brothers playing at the collegiate level is unusual but what is more unusual is when those brothers are wearing the same jersey on the same field. The Bloomsburg University men's soccer team happens to have two sets of brothers on their 2014 fall roster. Nate Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro), a senior midfielder is playing alongside his brother Spencer Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro), a junior forward. Also playing alongside a brother is senior midfielder Nick Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River) and freshman defenseman Samuel Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River). A sense of chemistry is shared between both sets of brothers, whether they are playing together in the game, in practice or off the field.

Spencer and Nate have been playing together at Bloomsburg University for three years. For Nick and Samuel Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River) it's just the first year of playing with his brother. There is no doubt that from the sidelines, fans can see a connection on the field whether it be from seeing a brother's face light up for the other when scoring a goal or the brotherly arguments on that happen on the field, it can been seen.

For Nate there's a weird sense of always knowing where his brother will be. "Since I usually play outside mid, it is easier to find his feet when he is up top and easier to cross the ball into certain areas of the box because I know what run he is going to make in the moment," said Nate Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro).

Both Nate and Spencer agree that they work better together and dangerous offensively together because of that chemistry and ability to read each other's runs. "Nate definitely pushes me harder in practice then some other team members because he has higher expectations," said Spencer.

"Playing with my brother adds a bit of extra motivation to help each other be successful in the pursuit of a common goal," Spencer Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro) said when asked what his favorite part about playing with his brother was. The only thing that makes wearing the same uniform as a brother difficult is the comparison of each other on the field.

Nick Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River) likes the competition on the field. "We are two of the most competitive people on this earth and we just so happen to be brothers. We push each other to be better," said Nick.

"Nick is always on my case, but in a good way. He expects a lot out of me, and makes me expect more out of myself. We aren't afraid to correct each other or get on one another," said Sam Izzo.

Although there is some competition between both brothers, they are ultimately competing for the same goal, a winning season and a berth in the PSAC playoffs.

The likelihood of participating in an athletic sport with a sibling, at the same school and the same sport is very uncommon but these two sets of brothers did just that; wearing the same uniform on the same field. Nick always saw the possibility of playing with his brother but was never certain it was going to happen. For the Conrads, their large, supportive family always led them to see a possibility of playing together but not really knowing if it would happen.

For Nick Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River) and Nate Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro), being older brothers they were both very excited to know that they would be playing at the collegiate level with their brothers.

"I was extremely happy and excited when I found out Sam had decided to commit to Bloomsburg," said Nick. Knowing that he was a factor in his final decision he admits that he may have talked up Bloom "a little bit" but did not want Sam to choose based on the fact that he attended Bloomsburg.

"Nick really advised me to pick the school where I would be the most comfortable," said Sam Izzo. "I honestly never thought that we would play together again. When I played my last high school game with him, I thought we would never step foot on the competitive soccer field again."

Both Nate and Spencer agreed that their family had an impact on the decision to play on the same team together again. Having such a large family with one older brother to Nate and Spencer and six sisters; Nate is sure that "they were in [Spencer's] ear about coming to Bloomsburg."

"The closer the time came when he had to make a decision, the more I figured he would choose to come to Bloomsburg, so I was expecting him to come. When the point came that I found out he was coming, it was still exciting news to hear" says Nate.

"Although Nate did mention coming to Bloomsburg a few times, my dad was the one who mainly pushed me to attend the same college as Nate," said Spencer. If Nate was not attending Bloomsburg I would have still considered it an option, but it may not have been my final decision."

"Our families are big supports and I believe that had some impact on the decision, since they could watch both of us play once again on the same team," Nate commented when asked if he saw the possibility of playing soccer again with his brother.

"I do feel like a role model to Sam. He has looked up to me his whole life and I want to be continue to be someone that he models his life after. He has grown up to be a great person and I take pride in the person that he has become "Nick told us when asked if he feels like a role model to Sam.

"He really gives me someone to look up to on the field," said Sam about brother Nick. "He has had a great career here at Bloom and has left some big shoes for me to fill. He has given me one of the best role models to look up to. He had to battle through some pretty bad injuries, but he kept the whole team first mentality. He's a role model for the whole team, not just me."

Spencer and Nate Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro) have a different outlook.

"In some aspects of the game I look up to Nate," said Spencer. "As a younger brother, it is always my goal to surpass what he has accomplished and set a new standard."

"Being one of the few seniors, I try and set an example of how to act on and off the field. This does make me feel somewhat of a mentor towards him (Spencer), but I wouldn't say I do so more than any other player," said Nate.

In his 16 years as head coach of the Huskies men's soccer team, head coach Paul Payne has had five sets of brother's play for him during his career.

"Sometimes I can see that special connection which is quite special," Payne said. He often sees the older siblings pushing the younger ones. "Without a doubt - both Nick and Nate did well as freshmen and know what is expected to be successful at the Division II level so they have a standard they want/demand their brothers to match," said Payne.

Payne does not like to dwell on a brother relationship because each brother is one out of 24 players who has a distinct personality and playing ability and also, he sees them as teammates first and brothers second. Although this is his fifth set of brothers that have played for him, Payne does not specifically recruit the brothers of current players and he makes sure that they know that.

"Coach Payne made sure I was recruited as Samuel Izzo (Frankford, DE/Indian River), not Nick's younger brother. He made it clear I would have to prove myself and wouldn't just be able to ride on Nick's accomplishments," Sam Izzo said.

Regarding the Conrads and the Izzos, they are all quality student-athletes that came to Bloomsburg separately; they all share special qualities (on and off the field) that differ from their brothers.

But as Payne said, "I often talk about our teams as a family but there is no better example than this. Truly we have a family here at BU soccer."