The Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown and Marquette men’s basketball teams are headed to Europe in August for some memorable educational and cultural opportunities. And yes, they will get some games in, too.
Italy seems to be the destination. Creighton is going to Italy on Aug. 4-14. DePaul will be in France Aug. 10-21. Georgetown is going to Italy on Aug. 14-24 and Marquette travels to Italy and Switzerland Aug. 10-20. NCAA rules permit a team to make a foreign trip once every four years. Incoming freshmen are permitted to go. Teams are allowed 10 practices to help prepare for the trip.
The Bluejays will spend a majority of their time in Milan, Florence and Rome. The players have been preparing for the trip with a summer class being taught by Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Neil Norton. Creighton will play three games. They will meet Nelson Basket in Somma Lombardo, All-Star Rome in Rome and Foligno in Foligno. Some of the team tour stops include the Vatican, St. Peter’s Square, Roman Forum and the Colosseum. The team also will host a clinic in Milan.
DePaul is preparing for its trip by taking a “Life and Times of Vincent de Paul” class before heading to Paris. The team will be following the footsteps of the university’s namesake who was a French priest. The first game will be played in Caen. Included in the itinerary is a stop at the Normandy Beaches. The second game will be played in Paris where the Blue Demons will stay for four days before a final stop at the French Riviera with two games and sightseeing in Nice and Monaco.
Georgetown will be playing four games in Italy. The opposition will be Haukar Basketball of Iceland, Dream Team Italy Select, BC Atletas of Lithuania and Sam Basket Massagno of Switzerland. The Hoyas’ touring itinerary includes Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Milan and Lake Como.
Marquette’s four-game trip starts in Rome. Coincidentally, the Golden Eagles and Creighton are scheduled to be in Rome on Aug. 11-12. Included in the MU sightseeing plans are tours of Vatican City, Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Venice. Marquette will play some of the same teams that Georgetown will meet: Haukar Basketball of Iceland, BC Atletas of Lithuania, Vicenza Select and Sam Basket Massagno of Switzerland.