Aug. 19, 2002

The Santa Clara University women's basketball team departed for its European adventure this afternoon, with the bus departing for San Francisco International Airport from the Leavey Center parking lot at 2 p.m.

The Broncos arrived on the Mission campus on August 9 and have spent the past 10 days practicing for this trip. First year head coach Michelle Bento said the team is ready, and excited.

"The practices have been hard the last few days, but at the same time, we're all excited to go over there, spend some time together, and have a good time," she said. "They have an itinerary set up for us that is unbelievable."

Sophomore guard Quinn Thomas agreed.

"We've worked really hard as a team the past 10 days," she said. "I think we know all the stuff we need to know right now to do well in Europe."

The Broncos will play five games in Italy, going to cities such as Milan, Montalvo and Venice.

The tour will give Bento her first taste of the 2002-03 returning players in action, but the new leader of the Bronco program said she is most looking forward to spending time with the team off the court.

"I've never been to Italy or Paris, so I'm looking forward to just being there," she added, "but I'm most looking forward to being with the girls and getting to know them."

While in Paris, the team will visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House before returning to campus on August 30.

But before the team arrives on another continent's soil, the traveling party must endure 11 hours of flying time.

"I've never been there, so I'm going to think about all the new and interesting things I'm going to see," Thomas said of how she will spend her plane ride.

Meanwhile, her coach said she'll be drawing up a few new plays to share with the team upon their arrival, while also playing cards, listening to music and watching a couple in-flight movies.

"We've got lots of time," Bento joked.