North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Women Set For International Competition
5/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
May 13, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State women's basketball team is set to travel to Italy and Greece, May 20-31. The Wolfpack, which will play four games while on the tour, has been practicing since the 2003-04 season ended and is ready to get to the competition. The extended season will begin on Sunday, May 23 with a game versus G.S. Basket Palestrina. Action continues on the 27th with a game against Esperipes BBC before two-straight games versus the Greek National Team. NC State will also spend time learning the history of Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece through guided tours provided by Basketball Travelers, Inc. This is the first time in its 30-year history that NC State is taking an overseas trip.
The spring semester is complete and the NC State women's basketball team is continuing its practice schedule full force in preparation for its 10-day trip of Rome and Athens. The squad returned to practice back in late April and has been in the gym and weight room since.
Nine players will comprise the team traveling to Rome and Athens: senior Kendra Bell (7.2 ppg, 2.8 apg), juniors Rachel Stockdale (3.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg), Monica Pope (1.8 ppg, 0.46 apg) and Billie McDowell (4.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg) and sophomores Jennifer Filipowski (0.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg), Keisha Brown (4.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Sasha Reaves (3.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Marquetta Dickens (8.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and Ashley Key (5.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg) will all suit up for the games.
The team will depart from Raleigh, N.C., on Thursday, May 10 in two groups. The groups will fly to Cincinnati, Ohio and leave together as one group to Rome. After touring Rome on Friday and Saturday, the Wolfpack's first competition will come on May 23 in Palestrina, Italy against the G.S. Basket Palestrina. While in Rome, the team plans to visit the Colosseum, Cathedral of Nero, The Forum, Parthenon, Vatican City, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Cathedral.
Following the three days in Rome, NC State will then take another plane to Athens, Greece. While in Athens, the Wolfpack will play three games. The first will take place on Thursday, May 27 against Esperipes BBC. The final two games are versus the Greek National Team, which will take place on Friday, May 28 and Sunday, May 30. When the team isn't playing it will see such sites as the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus and the Olympic Stadium. The Pack is also scheduled to take a one-day cruise around the Greek Islands of Poros, Hydra and Aegina on Wednesday, May 26.
"The four games give our young roster some additional playing experience with one another," said head coach Kay Yow. "As a coaching staff, we are looking forward to seeing how the group will compete together for the first time after graduating four seniors last season."
NC State's official athletics website, gopack.com, will follow the team throughout its travels and will feature game recaps, photo galleries and journal entries from the players.
