On June 16th, Stanford women’s volleyball embarked on an international tour that will last 12 days. The Cardinal will tour the countries of Turkey, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Croatia, competing against national teams in those nations.

In the team release, Stanford posted the following:

Stanford is headed overseas for a 12-day foreign tour that will feature competitions against national teams with stops in Turkey, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Croatia.Departing the States on June 16, the Cardinal will arrive in Turkey on June 17.

The team will play three matches while in Istanbul, the hometown of incoming freshman Ipar Kurt. Kurt will join the group in Istanbul along with classmates Julia Blyashov, Jordyn Harvey and Koko Kirsch.

Stanford's senior will remain on campus for graduation on June 19 before meeting the squad overseas. Outgoing seniors Natalie Berty, Emily Teehan and Selina Xu will also join the team on the tour.

The Cardinal will fly to Prague on June 21 and play two more matches before bussing to Maribor, Slovenia on June 24, where it will play its final two matches. The team will head to Zagreb, Croatia on June 27 for its final leg of the tour.

The group will arrive back in the United States on June 28. The trip represents the Cardinal's first international journey since visiting Slovenia, Croatia and Italy in 2018.

For Stanford, this trip will serve three purposes. First, they’ll get a chance to get some matches in with their new freshman class. This Stanford team has a really talented class coming in and head coach Kevin Hambly will have to figure out how to best integrate them into a rotation that will have all of its key pieces back. This trip will give him a chance to put his feelers out there and better figure out his rotation.

Secondly, this will also give the team a chance to bond and develop their relationships off the court. The fact that the outgoing seniors will get a chance to be with them is an added bonus. Such team bonding experiences are always good in any sport and Stanford should benefit as a result.

Finally, it’s always neat to travel abroad and see a new part of the world. Such experiences open your eyes and make you a more cultured and well-rounded person. Just from an educational perspective, this is something that should positively impact everyone on the team for the rest of their lives.

Looking ahead to the 2023 season, the Cardinal have their schedule already posted. A full breakdown of that is to come.

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