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Gophers in Italy: Day 1
8/9/2018 9:01:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ROME – The Minnesota women's basketball team arrived in Rome Thursday morning to kick off its week-long foreign trip to Italy.
Despite getting there Thursday, the trip actually began for the Gophers on Wednesday morning back in Minneapolis. The squad left Athletes Village at 9 a.m. for the airport and departed for a layover in Chicago a little after noon.
The team landed in Chicago around 1:30 p.m., leaving time to grab lunch before taking off once again for Rome around 4:00. The flight on the Boeing 767 was scheduled for nine hours, taking a route through the Northeastern United States, across Iceland, passing over the Atlantic Ocean before reaching Europe and flying over France before reaching Rome at approximately 7:55 a.m. Thursday.
The team visits Fontana della Barcaccia
To pass the time on the nine-hour flight, each seat was equipped with a video screen in the headrest to allow team members to watch a wide variety of movies and/or TV shows. Of course, sleeping was also a popular option to pass the time.
Upon arrival in the Eternal City, the Gophers worked their way through customs and rendezvoused at baggage claim. Coincidentally, Minnesota wasn't the only women's basketball team arriving in Rome Thursday morning as assistant coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis got to have a reunion with the Mississippi State team she coached at the previous two seasons.
The Golden Gophers then met up with two guides, Dave from Basketball Travelers, and Sara, a local guide familiar with the country. Sara's last name is Bello, putting her in good company with Minnesota juniors Kehinde and Taiye Bello, even joking that she was happy to see her cousins on the trip.
The Gophers on the Spanish Steps
The team stopped at a hotel near the airport to grab a quick buffet breakfast before taking an initial tour of Rome. A local Roman guide, Falvia, joined the team's bus and showed the Gophers many local sights on a driving tour. Among the sights were Circus Maximus (a large stadium that used to hold chariot races), the Temple of Hercules Victor (the oldest marble temple in Rome) and the Pyramid of Cestius (a tomb built for Gaius Cestius).
Pyramid of Cestius
The bus tour was followed by a walking tour that took the team to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the Piazza Navonna. After the tours concluded, the team checked into its hotel to get some much-needed rested before a team dinner Thursday night.
The student-athletes then had the rest of Thursday to themselves to explore the city as they wish.
Trevi Fountain
Friday's itinerary includes a visit to Vatican City in the morning, followed by the first of the team's three games on the trip. That will take place at 6:30 p.m. local time against the Deep 3 Select team.
Despite getting there Thursday, the trip actually began for the Gophers on Wednesday morning back in Minneapolis. The squad left Athletes Village at 9 a.m. for the airport and departed for a layover in Chicago a little after noon.
The team landed in Chicago around 1:30 p.m., leaving time to grab lunch before taking off once again for Rome around 4:00. The flight on the Boeing 767 was scheduled for nine hours, taking a route through the Northeastern United States, across Iceland, passing over the Atlantic Ocean before reaching Europe and flying over France before reaching Rome at approximately 7:55 a.m. Thursday.
The team visits Fontana della Barcaccia
To pass the time on the nine-hour flight, each seat was equipped with a video screen in the headrest to allow team members to watch a wide variety of movies and/or TV shows. Of course, sleeping was also a popular option to pass the time.
Upon arrival in the Eternal City, the Gophers worked their way through customs and rendezvoused at baggage claim. Coincidentally, Minnesota wasn't the only women's basketball team arriving in Rome Thursday morning as assistant coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis got to have a reunion with the Mississippi State team she coached at the previous two seasons.
The Golden Gophers then met up with two guides, Dave from Basketball Travelers, and Sara, a local guide familiar with the country. Sara's last name is Bello, putting her in good company with Minnesota juniors Kehinde and Taiye Bello, even joking that she was happy to see her cousins on the trip.
The Gophers on the Spanish Steps
The team stopped at a hotel near the airport to grab a quick buffet breakfast before taking an initial tour of Rome. A local Roman guide, Falvia, joined the team's bus and showed the Gophers many local sights on a driving tour. Among the sights were Circus Maximus (a large stadium that used to hold chariot races), the Temple of Hercules Victor (the oldest marble temple in Rome) and the Pyramid of Cestius (a tomb built for Gaius Cestius).
Pyramid of Cestius
The bus tour was followed by a walking tour that took the team to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the Piazza Navonna. After the tours concluded, the team checked into its hotel to get some much-needed rested before a team dinner Thursday night.
The student-athletes then had the rest of Thursday to themselves to explore the city as they wish.
Trevi Fountain
Friday's itinerary includes a visit to Vatican City in the morning, followed by the first of the team's three games on the trip. That will take place at 6:30 p.m. local time against the Deep 3 Select team.
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