Volleyball Heads To Australia For Spring Break
EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon volleyball team will return to the court this spring for some action, but will get to face its competition in Australia. The Ducks will make the most of their spring break, spending nine days and playing three matches down under, departing Eugene on Friday, March 21, and returning on Sunday, March 30.
“First of all, I would like to thank Pat Kilkenny, Renee Baumgartner, Tom Larson and Jim Bartko for their support of this trip,” head coach Jim Moore said. “Without their foresight and desire to see this program excel this would not be possible.”
Oregon will play three matches against the Australian Senior Women’s team during its stay. The Ducks will start their venture in Sydney, and will play two matches on March 23 and 24. The final match of the trip will take place on Wednesday, March 26 in Brisbane.
“I am definitely excited about this opportunity for our players,” Moore said. “We’ll be able to play some competitive matches, but most importantly we are going to be able to spend significant time together as a team, doing things that don’t revolve around the court. The players chose to go to Australia for this trip, so I know everyone is really looking forward to it.”
While in Australia, the volleyball team has also planned some extensive stops in tourist hot-spots. While in Sydney, the team plans to visit Sydney Aquarium, and while in Brisbane, the Ducks will also visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - the world’s first and largest sanctuary, where the players will have the opportunity to hold and feed the koalas.
Oregon will also travel to Queensland, to relax on the beaches of the Gold Coast, a location popular around the world for its surfing.
Before heading home, the team plans to travel to Cairnes with two stops on the schedule. The team will visit the Great Barrier Reef, the word’s largest coral reef system and will also take a trip to the Kuranda Skyrail. The skyrail will take the team on a bird’s-eye tour, six meters above the pristine and ancient rainforest.
The team will also head home with one more than they left. Rhiannon Tooker, one of Oregon’s two signees for 2008, will play with the Australian Senior Women’s team in the three matches, but will head home with the Ducks to attend classes on the first day of the spring term.
Check www.GoDucks.com for updates the team will provide from its international trip.
While most teams take their international trips during the summer, Moore chose to make the venture during spring break, allowing for his players to have more time off during the summer break.
Last season, Oregon set numerous records for the volleyball program, advancing all the way to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, and finishing the year with a 22-11 record and No. 9 national ranking in the final CSTV/AVCA Coaches’ poll.
“First of all, I would like to thank Pat Kilkenny, Renee Baumgartner, Tom Larson and Jim Bartko for their support of this trip,” head coach Jim Moore said. “Without their foresight and desire to see this program excel this would not be possible.”
Oregon will play three matches against the Australian Senior Women’s team during its stay. The Ducks will start their venture in Sydney, and will play two matches on March 23 and 24. The final match of the trip will take place on Wednesday, March 26 in Brisbane.
“I am definitely excited about this opportunity for our players,” Moore said. “We’ll be able to play some competitive matches, but most importantly we are going to be able to spend significant time together as a team, doing things that don’t revolve around the court. The players chose to go to Australia for this trip, so I know everyone is really looking forward to it.”
While in Australia, the volleyball team has also planned some extensive stops in tourist hot-spots. While in Sydney, the team plans to visit Sydney Aquarium, and while in Brisbane, the Ducks will also visit the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - the world’s first and largest sanctuary, where the players will have the opportunity to hold and feed the koalas.
Oregon will also travel to Queensland, to relax on the beaches of the Gold Coast, a location popular around the world for its surfing.
Before heading home, the team plans to travel to Cairnes with two stops on the schedule. The team will visit the Great Barrier Reef, the word’s largest coral reef system and will also take a trip to the Kuranda Skyrail. The skyrail will take the team on a bird’s-eye tour, six meters above the pristine and ancient rainforest.
The team will also head home with one more than they left. Rhiannon Tooker, one of Oregon’s two signees for 2008, will play with the Australian Senior Women’s team in the three matches, but will head home with the Ducks to attend classes on the first day of the spring term.
Check www.GoDucks.com for updates the team will provide from its international trip.
While most teams take their international trips during the summer, Moore chose to make the venture during spring break, allowing for his players to have more time off during the summer break.
Last season, Oregon set numerous records for the volleyball program, advancing all the way to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, and finishing the year with a 22-11 record and No. 9 national ranking in the final CSTV/AVCA Coaches’ poll.
