ORLANDO – The UCF volleyball program announced on Tuesday its plan to embark on a foreign tour this summer with stops in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, and Italy on the agenda. The European Tour will convene from Wednesday, June 7 through Sunday, June 18.
"This is our first opportunity to take the team to several countries in Europe and it couldn't come at a better time," said head coach Todd Dagenais. "The practices that we are allowed before we leave the United States and in Europe are priceless learning experiences for incoming freshman and underclassmen who are competing for starting roles. This is a huge benefit for our program to get a head start on getting ready for our first season in the Big 12 Conference."
"As much as this will be a competitive trip, it'll be even more of a team bonding opportunity along with cultural and learning experiences for our student-athletes. We chose this time frame because it allows our players to not miss summer classes and to get back in time for our regular summer camp program."
While overseas, the Knights will play six to eight matches against local club and professional teams, with the possibility of additional matches against junior and national teams. Aside from matches, UCF will have the opportunity to tour these countries and gain valuable cultural and learning experiences.
"I would like to thank our athletics administration for providing us the opportunity to travel to Europe, be together in foreign countries, learn about the cultures, compete and prepare for the fall," Coach Dagenais added.
The NCAA allows teams to participate in foreign tours once every four years, which includes an extra 10 days of practice time. This will be the first international tour for the Knights.
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