2024 Foreign Tour: Villanova Volleyball Edition

For the first time in program history, Villanova volleyball ventured to the Eastern Hemisphere for a foreign tour, spending over a week seeing the world with visits to Slovenia and seven different Italian cities.

The Wildcats played four matches against international opposition during their European excursion while sightseeing and bonding as a unit over the 10-day trip.

Scroll down the page to see a day-by-day recap of the trip, featuring pictures, highlights and player quotes.

 

 

DAY ONE: MARIBOR, SLOVENIA
First Match Against Czech National Team.
Flight Over Alps
Flight over the Alps in Switzerland.
Dinner and Wine Tasting at Doppler Winery.
I loved getting to explore such a beautiful country today, especially watching the sunset from the winery! I'm so grateful that volleyball has brought this team together and given us awesome experiences like this.
Abby Harrell, sophomore outside hitter

 

 

DAY TWO: MARIBOR, SLOVENIA
Riding the Alpine Slide.
Biking, Lunch and Sightseeing in Maribor.
Match vs. Serbian National Team.
Dinner and Gelato in the City Center.
Today was jam packed with so many fun things, and I really enjoyed getting to see the sights of Maribor in unique ways. My favorite part of today was riding the Alpine Slide and seeing the joy on everyone's faces as they went down. I'm so thankful to be able to share these amazing experiences with my teammates!
Elizabeth Feczko, senior libero

 

 

DAY THREE: VENICE, ITALY
Water Taxi to Venice.
Shopping, food and views near St. Mark's Basilica.
Sightseeing in the Floating City.
Today in Venice was amazing! We visited St. Mark's Basilica and the most beautiful bookshop in the world, then went on a gondola ride. I am so unbelievably grateful for this time exploring different cultures with the team.
Riley Homer, graduate outside hitter

 

 

DAY FOUR: VERONA & MILAN, ITALY
Sightseeing in Verona.
Night Views of Milan.
Dinner at DaZero Pizza Milano.
Today we went from Venice to Verona to Milan! In Verona, we saw Juliet's House and took pictures with her famous statue. There were visits to bookstores, clothing stores and hole in the wall sandwich shops. After lunch, we drove to Milan and had dinner at a nice pizza place. The night ended with walking around the city and seeing what the night life had to offer!
Annika Veurink, sophomore middle blocker

 

 

DAY FIVE: MILAN, ITALY
Match Against Diavoli Rosa Club Team.
Sightseeing in Milan City Center.
Post-Match Dinner at Ristorante Pizzeria Cadorna.
We had the most wonderful day in Milan! We went into the Duomo and saw the amazing detail put into it. From there, we walked around to all the stores, shopped a little bit on the streets and found a well-known lunch place with the best sandwiches. We headed over to play our game then ended the night with some great dinner: lots of bread, pizza and pasta. I'm so thankful to be here with my teammates and coaches, it's something I'll remember for a lifetime.
Taylor Jakubowski, graduate setter

 

 

DAY SIX: COMO, ITALY
Sightseeing in Como.
Funicular
Cable Car Ride up the Mountain.
Practice and dinner at Italian National Team facility.
We had an amazing time in Como today! We rode a funicular up a nearby mountain for a beautiful view of the city and had a delicious lunch up there. After coming back down, we enjoyed some sweet treats at a cafe near the lake. We ended our time in Como admiring the beautiful architecture and visiting their cathedral. After sightseeing, we headed to the Italian National Team's training center for a great practice and had dinner in their facility to end the night. I am so thankful for all the things we've gotten to experience on this tour!
Campbell McKinnon, freshman middle blocker

 

 

DAY SEVEN: FLORENCE AND UMBRIA, ITALY
Exploring, Lunch and Shopping in the Leather Capital of Europe.
Sightseeing in Florence.
Dinner at Podere Le Olle Winery in Umbria.
Today was one of my favorites! We woke up early to drive to Florence but it was well worth it. I feel so lucky to be on this trip with my team and getting to know everyone better is such a blessing. The cherry on top was spending dinner in a homey winery and eating traditional Italian cuisine on a mountain top.
Margot Randall, freshman middle blocker

 

 

DAY EIGHT: ROME, ITALY
Guided Walkthrough of Augustinian Rome Residence.
Tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
Sightseeing in the Eternal City.
Our first day in Rome was full of sightseeing, walking through the city and making memories with teammates old and new. We first went to the Vatican Museum and Augustinian headquarters then saw the Tiber River, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona. My favorite thing about today and the trip has been the funny stories I'll never forget with my friends! Ooh and the yummy gelato!
Dani Ortiz, senior defensive specialist

 

 

DAY NINE: ROME, ITALY
Match Against VolleyRo.
Tour of the Colosseum.
Our last match today was a good one with VolleyRo, glad to see our team play one more time on tour. They've played really well and I'm excited to get this head start to the season. Then the Colosseum and Roman Forum were amazing. We ended the night with a good recap dinner and celebrating Campbell's birthday with tiramisu. I'm just really grateful to have a group like the one we currently have. They made this trip so much fun.
Josh Steinbach, head coach