Women’s Basketball To Tour Hawaii
by Taylor Roby
The women’s basketball team will head to Honolulu to take part in the Hoop N Surf Classic, a basketball tour hosted by Malika Sport Tours which includes NCCAA Division III and NAIA teams.
The approximately 16 Bulldog athletes plan to depart Dec. 17 and arrive in Honolulu late that night.
After a day allotted for a practice and some activities, the Concordia women will open play against Indiana Tech at 12:30 p.m. on Dec 19.
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, the Bulldogs will face off against the College of the Ozarks starting at 12:30 p.m. The NAIA Division II Bobcats of the College of the Ozarks are ranked sixth while the Bulldogs currently sit at seventh.
“Playing new teams gives us more exposure to different styles, which will be very beneficial looking down the road to nationals,” senior guard Laurel Krohn said. “The time in Hawaii will be a great opportunity to hang out with one another and experience new things together.”
Aside from the basketball games played, the women will also get the chance to be tourists. The team will head to Pearl Harbor for a historic tour and to spend time in reflection and remembrance of the lives lost there.
Early on Wednesday, Dec. 21, the team will hike roughly a mile up the inactive volcano of Diamond Head to watch the sunrise over the ocean.
The team also plans to attend a luau during its time in the Aloha State.
In addition to the planned activities, the team has allotted free time for various activities like going to the beach or shopping.
“I’m most excited to bond more with my teammates since this is the last year I will playing with them,” senior forward Aubri Bro said. “I’m (also) excited to see the ocean and lay on the beach of course!”
Even with the fun of Hawaii, the team will have business to take care of.
“We definitely don’t want to lose our focus that we are going down there to play basketball,” sophomore Quinn Wragge said. “I think that this will be a great bonding experience and really help us improve looking forward towards the rest of the year.”
The tour will both challenge the women and give them the opportunity to create relationships and memories that will last long beyond their years on the team.
“Basketball has given me amazing opportunities growing up, it has taught me a ton of life lessons, and I have been blessed with having some amazing teammates and coaches along the way,” Wragge said. “On this team at Concordia more than any other basketball team I’m thankful for the opportunities to grow in my faith and share experiences with all these amazing girls!”
