Boston College Athletics
Katie Andersen Plays In European Exposure Tour
January 31, 2005 | Volleyball
Jan. 31, 2005
Chestnut Hill, Mass. - Senior outside hitter, Katie Andersen competed in the BringIt Promotions European Exposure Tour in January. Andersen and 31 other college volleyball players from all over the U.S. traveled to four countries and gained international playing experience.
The tour started in Prague, Czech Republic where the players had a chance to get accumulated with the new city. By working around practices, the players traveled throughout the city to the Prague Castle, Clock Tower, and Old Town Square.
Andersen got her first look at international competition in Prague. Her team matched up against the Olymp Prague Junior Team and she noticed a different style of play. "The Olymp players hit the ball in every time and hit it hard, all offense, which is different from the American style of volleyball," said Andersen.
The team traveled to Maribor, Slovenia and stayed at the base of a ski resort in the Pohorje Mountains. All of the players had a chance to go sledding at the mountain, while some chose to ski and snowboard.
Andersen's team also played Benedict, a top-division Maribor- area team while in Slovenia. The women also played against Nova KMB, a competitive team with members of the Junior National Slovenian team. The trip allowed players to get a clear picture of what playing overseas would be like.
From Slovia, the 32 players ventured to Innsbruck, Austria. Andersen watched two top teams in the Austrian League play, which gave her more of a taste of international play.
Andersen capped off her career at BC with an impressive senior season. She led the Eagles in kills with 408 and finished second on the team with 390 digs. Andersen hopes her experiences at BC and in Europe will help her play professionally in the future.
