NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt lacrosse will embark on an international trip to London and Dublin next spring, head coach Beth Hewitt announced on Thursday.
The Commodores will venture across the Atlantic Ocean to compete in several lacrosse matches and take in sights and sounds of the two cities. The trip will take place May 28-June 5, 2019, spanning nine days and seven nights. They will also take on two international lacrosse teams in Team England and Team Ireland.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to offer our players the opportunity to travel overseas and compete against some of the best lacrosse teams in the world,” Hewitt said. “This trip affords our group the opportunity to compete at the highest level while also gaining experience in various cultures. Vanderbilt has always made international travel and service a priority for our student-athletes, and this is just another example of how Vanderbilt Athletics finds a way to educate the whole person rather than just the athlete.”
The Commodores will take an overnight flight to Dublin on May 28 and arrive the following morning and take part of a guided tour of the city. The group will visit famous landmarks such as Book of Kells at Trinity College, O’Connell Street, Phoenix Park, St. Stephen’s Green and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
On the next day in Dublin, Vanderbilt will take a trip to the Irish Farm Experience and viewing of the Irish Music and Dance Show. On May 30, the Dores begin with a tour of Croke Park Stadium, and they’ll visit the Gaelic Athletic Association and Gaelic Sports Experience. That evening, the team will play its first lacrosse match of the trip to wrap up its stay in Dublin.
Day 5 kicks off with a flight to London, where the Commodores will take a walking tour of the city and check out the Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square and Afternoon Tea. They will finish their first night in London at the West End Theater Show.
Vanderbilt’s second day in London will start off with a guided tour of the city, where the group will see Buckingham Palace (including the changing of the Guard), Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The Dores will play their second lacrosse match of the trip that evening.
The following day will feature a trip to the Tower of London ahead of Vanderbilt’s third and final lacrosse match of the trip. The Commodores will cap the journey with an excursion to Windsor Castle, shopping in Camden Market and a farewell dinner before returning to Nashville on June 5.
