ย Former high school friends and teammates reunite in college all the time, especially in the transfer portal era.
Triplets, however, are a different story.
UL senior distance runners Caroline and Brooke Spalitta and junior designated hitter Steven Spalitta are making the most of it.
The sisters chose the Raginโ Cajuns out of Fontainebleau High in Mandeville, but their brother spent two seasons at Mississippi State. When he entered the transfer portal after the 2025 season, there was no doubt where he wanted to be.
โOut of high school, I either wanted to go here or Mississippi State, so it was both really,โ Steven said. โIt just so happened the baseball program and the coaches I liked the most also happened to be the school my sisters go to.
โIt was just a great situation and it really worked out for the best.โ
Steven went to the all-boys St. Paulโs High in Covington in high school, before going to Fontainebleau his senior season. So the trio had gone to different schools before.
But while they didnโt constantly bug him about it, the sisters were elated when their brother decided to join them in Lafayette.
โI never thought it would actually be possible,โ Brooke said. โIt just all kind of fell into place overnight. We were like, โWow, like this is really coming true.โ To me, it was unreal. It was hard to process at first. It was something you would always dream of, but never actually thought would happen.โ
The sisters visited Steven in Starkville a few times, but not often. And no one is happier than the trioโs parents โ Steven and Jennifer.
โWeโre so blessed to have them at the same school,โ Jennifer Spalitta said. โIt was a little hectic trying to see them all doing their different sports when Steven was at Mississippi State.โ
Naturally, the siblings are going to school, practicing and competing on a regular basis, so they donโt see each other daily.
Thereโs less need for the sisters to visit their parents in Mandeville than in previous years.
โI feel like we see them (parents) more often,โ Brooke said. โWeโre together as a family a lot more often because itโs just two hours away. They come in for Stevenโs games on the weekend. Even after the games, if we go out to eat or something, weโre together a lot more than we used to be.โ
For the sisters, itโs been UL from the start.
Jennifer and Steven Spalitta with triplets Brooke, Caroline and Steven.
They played softball and soccer growing up, before shifting the focus to distance running their final two years in high school.
One night, Caroline decided to contact UL distance coach Rocky Capello.
โIt was like 10 p.m. one night and I just decided to email him,โ she said. โI didnโt know if he was going to answer or not, but he actually answered in like five minutes.
โAt first, he said, โI thought yโall played soccer. I didnโt realize yโall were into running.โ
The next day, the two sisters headed to Lafayette for an unofficial visit and the rest is history.
โI couldn't imagine going to any other school,โ Caroline said with Brooke agreeing. โLafayette, for sure, just feels like a second home.โ
โHonestly, I feel like even if something happens and I got injured or if I wasn't running anymore, I'd still come to UL. I just love it here so much,โ Brooke said.
Close bonds
Steven was reminded he hasnโt taken full advantage of his sisters being on campus.
โI really donโt see them as much as people might think because weโre all so busy,โ he laughed. โBut I was thinking about this today that Iโve been eating out a lot of fast food lately, so Iโm probably just going to drop off some groceries at their apartment and have them cook for me a little bit.โ
You could argue itโs only fair. After all, as a brother growing up with two sisters, he was forced into playing with dolls, dressing up and taking part in their dance classes.
โMe and Brooke would definitely be the ones crying on the sidelines and Steven would actually be doing all the dances and following the directions,โ Caroline laughed. โWe definitely would dress him up and put makeup on him. He didnโt care. He would let us do whatever โฆ heโs always been kind of laid back.โ
As sisters, their bond was different, but all grew up close and competitive.
โWeโve always been really close,โ Steven said. โI always had my friends at the house and they had their friends at the house hanging out. It was a lot of fun growing up with them.โ
Jennifer Spalitta said the uniqueness of triplets was never an issue for the couple, because โmy husband and I both have really big families, so we had so much help.โ
The key to it, she said, was strict scheduling.
โI loved it actually,โ she said. โWeโve always just felt blessed. Really, this is all weโve ever known. Weโve never had any other kids.โ
That close bond between the siblings was on full display a few weeks ago when the sisters were with friends in the stands at Russo Park watching the .
โSometimes when he goes up to bat, I feel like Iโm having a heart attack, especially in that LSU game,โ Caroline said. โEverybody around me was like, โItโs OK, heโs doing great.โ
โI told my friend next to me, โI feel like Iโm about to start a race right now when Steven was up to bat โฆ my heart was racing so bad.โ
Exciting and hectic
All three appreciate the coaches theyโve worked with at UL.
โCoach B (Tommy Badon) is the funniest,โ Caroline said. โYeah, he can be a little crazy at times, but heโs amazing. He really does mean well.โ
Triplets Caroline, from left, Steven and Brooke Spalitta are pictured Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Russo Park in Lafayette, La. Caroline and Brooke are long-distance runners for the UL Lafayette track team, and Steven plays baseball at UL.
STAFF PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK
Brooke has battled through injuries, and said, โheโs been nothing but great working with me. Iโm going to be competing this outdoor season and he has just stayed faithful with me and really kept my confidence up.โ
For Steven, itโs been his first season getting to know baseball coach Matt Deggs.
โHe pushes us every single day,โ he said. โHeโs great at building personal relationships with every player. He knows what every player needs. I feel like he pushes all the right buttons.โ
Mom and Dad were in Lafayette over the weekend watching the baseball team beat South Alabama two of three to enter .
โTheyโre doing great,โ Jennifer Spalitta said. โItโs so exciting.โ
On Saturday, the girls will be competing in their final ถถา๕h Classics home meet after ULโs women finished second in the indoor season last month.
โItโs exciting,โ Caroline said. โWe have a lot of talent and I do believe the outdoor season is going to be special. I do believe we have the potential to win.โ
Over the next year or so, following their triplets around the region will end โ something the parents said hasnโt sunk in yet.
โWe haven't really thought about it too much because we're still in it,โ Jennifer Spalitta laughed. โI told my husband weโre going to have to pick up some hobbies, so weโre talking about getting some bikes and maybe doing some long-distance biking on the weekends.
โWe are looking forward to just being able to take vacations with them. Weโve always done vacations around whatever they were doing, like a baseball summer ball thing, or something like that.โ
Steven and Jennifer Spalitta and their triplet infants Steven, left, Brooke and Caroline.
Provided Photo