Aug. 20, 2009
Men's Soccer Among Four U. of C. Teams
Set for International Tours

CHICAGO -- For the sixth time in the past seven years, University of Chicago intercollegiate sports teams are set to embark on international trips. Four teams will head overseas this fall, bringing to 17 the number of foreign tours enjoyed by Chicago teams during the past decade.

The men's soccer team will embark on its fourth overseas trip when it heads to Italy on Aug. 20. The Maroons have previously visited Scotland (1997), England (2001), and Brazil (2005).

During their stay in Italy, the Maroons will play three matches (vs. Perugia/Madroni on Aug. 22, vs. Norcia/1st Division on Aug. 26, vs. Sileno on Aug. 28) in addition to training and sightseeing in Rome and at the Adriatic Sea.

The men's and women's basketball teams make their second foreign excursion on Sept. 4 when they travel to Argentina and Chile. Both teams toured Italy in 2006.

The women's tennis team makes its first international trip on Sept. 8 when it embarks on a tour of Argentina and Uruguay.

Upon the completion of these four trips, 10 different U. of C. sports teams will have visited 14 nations since 1997. This past summer, the softball team completed a three-country tour of Europe. Three Chicago sports teams traveled overseas in 2007-08. The baseball team visited Japan in March, following trips by the volleyball team to China and the women's soccer team to Italy in the fall.

Team fundraising efforts as well as support from the athletic department and alumni -- including the Edith Ballwebber Fund, an endowed fund for female athletes -- have made the trips possible.

"We have committed these special funds to international travel for our teams and believe that it substantially enhances the student experience here," said Director of Athletics Tom Weingartner.

"It sets our athletics program apart and makes it consistent with the college's emphasis on foreign study and travel. These special foreign trips allow our athletes to gain not only national but international experience that can shape them for the rest of their lives while helping them to learn how to be genuine global citizens."