ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s and women’s tennis teams are set to take part in a global experience as they will travel to Hawaii, March 18-25, to compete while exploring and learning about the native culture and history for their learning experience.
The tennis teams become the latest Elon University athletic programs to travel abroad as a part of the Elon Commitment to diversity and global engagement for its students. The teams will complete their learning requirement visiting several sites, which include Pearl Harbor, hiking the trails of Diamond Head while in Kona, snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay, as well as a visit to the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach during their eight-day trip.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity that Elon University has provided us to be able to go on these trips,” said head women’s tennis coach Elizabeth Anderson. “For many of our players it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to go to a place like Hawaii. We are so appreciative of the university and the Department of Athletics for giving us this opportunity.”
The student-athletes will analyze Hawaiian identity as portrayed in ancient traditions and stories, and study the history of the indigenous peoples in Hawaii. They will also learn about the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, and study the political, economic, and social realities for people living in Hawaii today.
“We are looking forward to this opportunity and very appreciative of Elon University and our department allowing us this opportunity,” head men’s tennis coach Michael Leonard added. “For President Lambert and Director of Athletics Dave Blank to find a way for all of our student-athletes to get a chance to go during the school year is pretty amazing.”
Both teams will also compete on Wednesday, March 22, in a men’s and women’s doubleheader against the University of Hawaii as part of the regular season. The match is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Hawaii time, 9 p.m. eastern time.
“It’s really neat to be able to compete while we are there and play against a different team that we really don’t know that much about,” added Anderson. “The University of Hawaii has a great tennis program and we’re excited about competing against them. This opportunity will prepare us even more for our matches ahead.”
The chance to get to play a regular-season match during the trip is a great opportunity for both programs. “Not only do we get to see Hawaii and experience the culture, we also get to compete against the University of Hawaii in an NCAA regular season match, which is exciting for our players,” Leonard said.
Keep up with the daily updates of the programs, as a member of the teams will share their experiences on social media on the program’s social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. A daily update from the student-athletes will also be posted on elonphoenix.com.