UAlbany Women's Basketball Set to Take International Trip to Costa Rica

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

The University at Albany women’s basketball team will embark on a four-day international trip to Costa Rica, beginning August 29, as announced today by Director of Athletics and Vice President Lee McElroy. Costa Rica is a republic in South America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, with the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with a population of over 4.1 million.

“It is an incredible asset to get experience and practice this early in the year,” said UAlbany head coach Trina Patterson. “The trip gives us a chance to mesh our eight returning players with our five newcomers as quickly as possible. We will be able to do some team bonding activities and also evaluate players in a competitive aspect, which will help prepare us for the season.”

The Great Danes will depart from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, arriving at La Condesa Monte de la Cruz Hotel in Heredia, Costa Rica that afternoon. UAlbany will play the first of two exhibition games against Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica on the evening of Aug. 29. The Great Danes then face the Costa Rican National Team on Saturday before spending a day on the Pacific Coast in Jaco, Costa Rica the following day.

“This trip will give us more time to learn about each other and gel together as a team,” said UAlbany junior guard Charity Iromuanya. “We have a chance to play together and see what we have to work on to prepare us for the season.”

UAlbany is coming off a season in which the Great Danes posted the most wins in America East Conference play with a 10-6 record and produced the program's second appearance in the conference postseason tournament's semifinal round. Patterson was voted the 2008 America East Coach of the Year.

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UAlbany Women’s Basketball – Costa Rica Tour Schedule

Friday, Aug. 29 Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 30 Costa Rican National Team 10:30 p.m.