Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Italia - here we come! Thursday started with a drive to New York City where the team and staff joined up with family to board the flight over the Atlantic Ocean and into Europe. Wheels are up and the seven and a half hour flight is officially underway. Next stop, Rome!

What are the three freshmen of this year's group looking forward to?

"I am most looking forward to seeing the culture there and all of the beautiful architecture. I’m also excited for the food and to be able to try a bunch of new things!” - Rachel Wirts

“I’m most looking forward to seeing all the beautiful sights and playing together as a team for our first game!” - Dani Ceseretti

“I am looking forward to playing a few games with the team and meeting the Augustinians.” - Jasmine Bascoe

Hello from the Eternal City! The Wildcats touched down in Rome just before 8 a.m. and immediately got swept up in all the city has to offer. The group took a small stop outside of the city center for a quick brunch and then hopped back on the busses to head back into the city for a walking tour of Rome. Each of the groups made their way into the streets of Trevi to experience the Trevi Fountain and tossed a coin over their left shoulder to hopefully bring themselves back to Rome one day, as the legend says. They also learned about various pieces of the city's history and makeup during their walk, including water fountains called Nasoni found throughout the city that provide the public and visitors with free, fresh water all year long. From there, the groups saw a number of monuments and churches on their way to the Colosseum, one of the most historic sights in all of Italy and especially Ancient Rome. Everyone learned about how seating at the Colosseum worked for members of society, where animals and fighters would enter for combat and where each emperor would sit during the events.

Friday was a busy first day in Rome for the 'Cats and Saturday will be just as busy as they head to Vatican City.

“I thought today was a great experience. For someone who has never been out of the country, I enjoyed learning another lifestyle and culture as well as being able to experience a new place that I am looking forward to exploring over the next nine days. I loved experiencing this with my teammates and my family and can't wait to make so many memories throughout the rest of the trip.” - Maggie Grant

“This is a once in a lifetime experience and being able to do it with such a great group is something I'll never forget. Gonna soak up every second we get here and our first day has already been amazing. Can't wait for the rest of the trip!” - Maddie Burke

What. A. Day.

An early start to Saturday came with a real treat as the group went into Vatican City for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums. The buildings were full of statues, tapestries and various pieces of art from a plethora of artists. Everyone made their way through a number of rooms and hallways to see the extensive collection of art, including Raphael's Rooms, the Room of the Immaculate Conception and the Gallery of Geographical Maps that led into the Sistine Chapel. Here, the group sat down to take in the exquisite frescoes and the famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo. After the tour concluded and everyone enjoyed a brunch in the garden, the group went to St. Peter's Square to see St. Peter's Basilica before meeting Fr. Jack Flynn, a Villanova Alum, at the Augustinian Patristic Pontifical Institute to learn more about St. Augustine, St. Monica, the Augustinians and even the history of the Augustinians and Villanova. Once he was done speaking to the group, he led everyone to the rooftop to get a breathtaking view of the Basilica from a different vantage point.

The second full day in Rome was an eventful one, but the journey is just beginning as we head to Florence tomorrow!

“Going to Vatican City was so eventful and it is so beautiful. I'm grateful Villanova has given me this opportunity to go out of the country for the first time! My favorite part of the day was the Vatican Museum and seeing all of the beautiful artwork.” - Jaliyah Green

“I had such an amazing day today! I am so grateful to say that sitting in the Vatican Church was definitely my favorite part of the day. I loved learning about the history and seeing the artifacts. This meant so much to be able to spend this time with my family and friends.” - Maddie Webber

Today we said goodbye to Rome and started our trek north to Florence. Along the way, we made a stop in the Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano to visit a few Augustinian friars at the Convent of Sant'Agostino. They prepared a lovely family-style lunch for everyone and shared a little about themselves and the church and monastery that has been in the care of the Augustinians since 1280 AD. The church houses a chapel that has an alcove behind the main altar with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli that famously depict episodes of Saint Augustine's life. The friars also invited us outside to a patio that provided a breathtaking view of Tuscany and helped us to appreciate the views of the city surrounded by 13th century walls from just below the main hill. After that, everyone made their way back through the streets of San Gimignano to enjoy some shopping before heading back to the bus and hitting the road to Florence.

Once in the Capital of the Tuscany region, the group walked to the Basilica di Santo Spirito where we met Padre Giuseppe and his friends. This stunning basilica is adorned by many chapels, including one of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, enthroned among various Augustinian sisters. There is also a wooden crucifix in the sacristy of Santo Spirito that was sculpted by Michelangelo when he was just 17 years old. After showing us the sacristy and around the convent in the center, a space that was used for scholarly activities and served as the stadium generale for the Augustinian order in the 1200s, we all enjoyed a small dinner together with our guides and new friends from the Basilica.

All-in-all, the travel day to the Tuscany region was a successful one. Now everyone turns their eyes to Monday when we will explore the city more and play our first game of the week.

“Today in Italy was truly unforgettable! I'm so grateful to have spent the day exploring the beautiful streets of San Gimignano. Florence was equally captivating with its stunning architecture and delicious gelato. The highlight was visiting the beautiful Basilica di Santo Spirito, where the art and history left a lasting impression. Sharing these moments with family and friends made the experience even more special.” - Brynn McCurry

“Today was an amazing day of sightseeing and traveling. I am super grateful that the Augustinians took their time to prepare us all food and teach us more about their history. Can't wait to play some basketball tomorrow!” - Jasmine Bascoe

The first half of our trip around Italy is officially in the books.

Monday was a slower-paced day compared to the first few days in Italy. Everyone started the day with breakfast before splitting into groups for a pair of tours. One group went on a walking tour while the other biked through the streets of Florence to see sights like the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Ponte Vecchio, the Arno River and much more, learning about each of the stops from their tour guides along the way. After lunch and time to explore the city, it was time to get into game mode and head outside of downtown to face the Spanish All Star Team.

Villanova led for most of the way but found itself trailing 51-49 heading into the fourth. The 'Cats could not retake the lead, falling 65-55. Maddie Webber and Bronagh Power-Cassidy paced the team with 12 points each. Both Jasmine Bascoe and Denae Carter came up big on the boards, grabbing five rebounds.

Tomorrow we say goodbye to the City of Lilies and make our way to Venice for our third stop on the tour.

“Today was an amazing day from riding bikes through Florence to being able to play our first game together! Something memorable was being able to learn a dance from the Spanish team that we played and being able to take part in their culture!” - Ryanne Allen

“I really loved being in Florence today! The bike tour was very unique and a very fun, different way to see all the city had to offer. We had a good amount of free time today which was nice because we were able to shop around! The best part of today was that we played our first game! It was a great experience considering it was our first time playing together with such a new group. Talking to the girls on the Spanish All Star team was also a very memorable experience!” - Annie Welde

Another day, another region

Today the ‘Cats said arrivederci to Florence as they stepped onto a speed train to take them north through Bologna and Ferrara until they ended up in Venice. Everyone disembarked from the train and made their way onto water taxis for a stunning trip down the Grand Canal to kick off a walking tour of the city. The groups were lead by guides who taught them about the Venice’s history as they navigated the stone streets and just a handful of the 472 bridges that connect the six sestieri, or districts, of Venice. Each walk over the bridges brought captivating views of buildings, canals and many gondolas. During the walking tour, everyone had the chance to enjoy some pizza and small appetizers in two different restaurants. The rest of the day was spent leisurely enjoying the city and having dinner.

“Venice is extremely beautiful. I really enjoyed the boat taxi and looking out over the water as we passed through the city. The food on the food tour was amazing and I’m really excited for the next few days here.” – Denae Carter

“I loved being in Venice today! The pizza and gelato we got was so good. This has definitely been my favorite place I’ve visited so far! The buildings are beautiful and the canals are amazing to be by. This trip has been such a memorable experience!” – Dani Ceseretti

Wednesday in Venice brought the most laid-back day of the trip thus far, giving the ‘Cats a chance to explore the area before getting into game mode. Everyone had the chance to enjoy breakfast before venturing out into the city to take in the sights, look at the canals that were lined by bridges and boats and enjoy a plethora of tasty food options – one of course being gelato. Who can pass up a cup of gelato on days as hot as this?

In the afternoon, the team loaded the water taxis to head to our second game of the week, this time against ASD Basketball Sisters from Piumazzo, Italy. The ‘Cats moved their record to 1-1 on the week with a commanding 82-36 victory over the Pumas. Maddie Webber paced the team with 13 points and three made three-pointers, adding on four assists and five rebounds. Brynn McCurry and Rachel Wirts each scored 11 points. McCurry and Kaitlyn Orihel led the team on the boards with seven rebounds each.

After the game, the team made its way back to the bus station ports near Venice to jump on water taxis back to the hotel and close out a final night on the island city. Come Thursday, the team will hit the road for its final stop on the Italy tour, heading to Milan with a fair stop along the way in Verona.

“It was awesome getting some time to explore Venice today! It’s such a beautiful city with great food, and I loved getting to go on a gondola! We finished the day today with a great team win, and I’m super excited to head to Verona tomorrow.” - Lara Edmanson

"We had such an awesome day being able to explore Venice. It’s an unbelievable city with great things to see and food to eat. We had a great team win tonight, and we’re excited to play again tomorrow and experience a new city!" - Kaitlyn Orihel

Thursday's travel day to Milan may have been a gameday, but it started with a look into one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies in a little place called Verona.

The ‘Cats loaded up the water taxis one last time as they left Venice, jumping on the bus to make a stop in the city that has been known by some as the Little Rome. The visit was highlighted by a walking tour that took the group through the city to see the Verona Arena, River Adige and Tower dei Lamberti. They also saw two of the oldest buildings in all of Verona: the Stone Bridge and the Roman Theater which both date back to the first century BC.

The walk led to Casa di Romo and Casa di Giulietta, the homes of Romeo and Juliet. Both are gothic-style houses that are long said to be the homes of the families that inspired his Montagues and Capulets, respectively. While Romeo’s house cannot be visited, the team was able to enter Juliet’s house and venture inside to see her balcony as well as the space she was said to have passed.

After finishing the tour and enjoying some free time for lunch and exploring, everyone made their way toward Milan but stopped on the way for the third and final game of the week. The 'Cats took down Riga Stradins 91-56 with a strong 35-point effort from newcomers Jasmine Bascoe and Ryanne Allen, scoring 18 and 17, respectively. Brynn McCurry nearly posted a double-double with 15 points and 9 boards, six of those on the defensive end.

The final full day of our trip comes up tomorrow here in Milan as the team visits Duomo di Milano and Lake Como.

"Today was one of my favorites from the trip so far! Verona is such a beautiful city, so it was nice to get the afternoon to walk around and admire its rich history between the beautiful Juliet House and the ancient amphitheater. We also couldn’t have ended the day any better than with a great team win for our last game of the trip!!" - Bronagh Power-Cassidy

"We had an amazing day exploring Verona! Visiting Romeo and Juliet’s house was a highlight and the city’s charm made our time here unforgettable. We finished our night with a great win and can’t wait to visit Lake Como tomorrow!" - Rachel Wirts

The final day of our Italy Tour was a scenic one to say the least. It’s hard to believe the week is coming to a close!

Friday began with breakfast and some time for the Wildcats to enjoy Milan on their own time before meeting for a tour of Duomo di Milano. The gothic marvel is the third largest church in Europe and is constantly under construction with obligations to marble being moved and replaced each year and new saints being added in and around the church’s facades. There are already 3,400 statues accounted for inside and outside the church, topped by a gold statue of The Madonnina, representing the heart and soul of the city.

After touring the church, everyone made their way an hour away from Milan and into Como for a boat tour. Lake Como is lined with gorgeous mountain views and numerous houses, communities and sprawling estates, including George Clooney’s (one that many people were hoping to see). The boat tour led to Bellagio, a small village that juts out into the lake and is filled with shopping, eats and gorgeous cobblestone streets.

Once the tour was finished, the team and support gathered for a farewell meal to celebrate the week that was and continue to build on the bonds that formed throughout the trip. Saturday will bring a final goodbye to Italia before flying back to the States.