BOULDER — Colorado’s volleyball team had four days of practice in the last week before setting forth for 12 days of competition in Europe.
On June 9, coach Jesse Mahoney‘s Buffs returned to the CU Events Center to start off the summer and get ready to leave the country. The Buffs will depart Tuesday for the trip of a lifetime in Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy. This will be their first time competing outside of the USA since 2019, when the team traveled to China.
Junior Emilea Stepaniuk is enthusiastic about their upcoming trip.
“I’m really excited to travel and see different places in the world,” the defensive specialist/libero said. “I’ve never really been out of the States, so I’m excited to get that experience.”
Stepaniuk also said she thinks the trip will provide a team-building opportunity. “I think because we have a lot of new talent coming in and a lot of younger girls, it will help us be able to bond before we get into preseason and get into the whole grind of things.”
Redshirt senior and middle blocker Alexia Kuehl is most excited to try new food and experience different cultures while playing volleyball abroad.
“I think it will be good for us to play against different teams who probably have different playing styles, and try to figure out how we can adjust to that as a team,” Kuehl said. “I think that can translate into the fall. If we see some different stuff, we’ll be able to transition into it a lot easier.”
With a few new faces on the 2023 squad, the trip should help the Buffs improve team chemistry and focus on the things that will ultimately help them find success in the fall.
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