May 7, 2009

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV volleyball team will get an early start to the 2009 season as it will travel across the Atlantic Ocean for a 12-day jaunt to Europe. The team's trip will begin on Sunday, May 10 and last until they return on Thursday, May 21. In all, the team will visit five countries and play five exhibition matches and have the trip chronicled by junior Jessica Walters.

The Rebels and their contingent will depart Las Vegas on Sunday and arrive in Prague, Czech Republic, at 11:00 am, Monday morning (May 11). They will play one match on Tuesday and another on Wednesday with some sightseeing sprinkled into the mix.

Following three days in Prague, the team will travel via train to Budapest, Hungary, for two days (May 14-15). They will survey the sights in Budapest and play one match on Friday.

On Saturday, May 16, the group will hit the train tracks once again for a journey to Vienna, Austria, for one day before moseying to Maribor, Slovenia, for three days (May 17-19). They will spend Sunday through Tuesday in Maribor and play single matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The entourage will then depart for Venice, Italy, on May 20 for a day prior to returning to the States on the 21st.

Walters will be reporting on the trip for The Mtn. Network and for UNLVRebels.com. She will produce a blog for the website and have her video footage made into a piece that The Mtn. will air. Photos of the expedition will accompany the blog, as well. The written and picture account of the trip will be updated by city visits.

The trip was made possible by donor and private contributions and money raised through camps offered by the coaching staff and student-athletes throughout the year. No state financing was used in the funding of the excursion.