Members of the Smith family — Kylee, her father Mark, brother Erik and cousin Matt — enjoy a moment on the Clemente bridge outside of PNC Park last summer. The family continues to excel in athletics.

Their last name is Smith. Their athletic careers have been anything but common.

Matt and Kylee Smith are cousins. Matt is a Seneca Valley graduate, helped coach Butler to the WPIAL basketball finals last year and underwent Tommy John surgery as a pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers system shortly thereafter,

Kylee is the daughter of former Butler basketball standouts Mark and Jody Imbrie Smith. She is a 5-foot-11 senior guard and leading scorer on the 23rd-ranked Belmont University women's basketball team in Nashville, Tenn.

The two grew up supporting each other.

“Our families have always been close,” said Bob Smith, Matt's father. “My brother's family lives in Georgia and Matt stayed with them when he pitched in tournaments down there.

“They've come up to Pittsburgh for family gatherings, we've gone to ballgames together, it's been that way for years.”

Now deep into their respective athletic careers, Matt and Kylee don't get together nearly as often as they did as kids.

“When we do see each other now, the conversation usually isn't about our sports,” Matt said. “We just catch up with each other, find out how each other's lives are going.

“Athletics at our level are pretty intense. When our families are together, we get away from it for a little while.”

Find out more about the Smiths in the Butler Eagle.