Temple Volleyball Takes to Puerto Rico

For the first time since 2016, Temple volleyball will travel to Puerto Rico as they embark on a nine-day tour, June 19-27, of San Juan and the surrounding metro area. The trip will offer this year's team an excellent opportunity to continue building chemistry and gain valuable reps ahead of the 2024 season.

After a strong spring schedule, Temple Volleyball Head Coach Linda Hampton-Keith looks towards the camaraderie this trip will bring with the help of support fans, supporters, and the administration.

"I am so grateful for this opportunity to take our team abroad and spend time together in Puerto Rico training and competing. I am most grateful for the support of our donors who have helped make this happen and our administration for their support." She went on to explain, "The NCAA allows for programs to take a trip like this every four years and this is a special time in our program's progression and we are thrilled for this chance to take advantage of this opportunity.

Graduate student outside hitter Taylor Davenport who entered her freshman season in 2020 under COVID-19 restrictions has seen the uptick of the program over her four years and is tremendously excited to go out of the confines of the United States and understands this trip is very important to her and her teammates.

"With having an international trip, it also comes with 10 days of training prior to us leaving, I feel like our team goals started since we got here June 1. We're training hard, becoming volleyball players that work well together and becoming a better team. We're getting the coaching from the beginning (of the summer), while introducing a lot of new transfers. Since volleyball is such a team sport and everyone has to pull their weight, we are having this time to learn about each other on an off the court." She went on to talk about the goals this year's team has going into the year. "We have a lot of big goals to continue to raise our RPI, conference standing, have a great record so it's amazing to have this time to work on this now."

Senior middle blocker Chelci Banks agrees with her teammate Davenport on the importance of this summer trip.

"We're in the process of building chemistry (since June 1) and making sure we can compete at a high level. I'd say our goals are continuing to bond, create more plays, and be more creative in our style of play, and evolve from there."

This isn't just a work trip for Temple volleyball, the team will have some time exploring the commonwealth.

Temple Assistant Coach Jose Lugo lived in Puerto Rico on multiple occasions throughout a younger age and is looking to share the region with today's team.

"I hadn't been back in 15 years since I moved to Arizona to get into coaching."

Coach Lugo also commented on the sites and the other aspects of the trip he wants the team to remember.

"We'll spend a chunk of our time in the San Juan metro, we will see some sights around the island as we get practice times and play against the Puerto Rico national teams. I'd love for the team to see old San Juan, where I spent a lot of time as a kid chasing the park pigeons, or getting a shave ice, or coconut ice cream. I'd love to take the team to "pork highway" so they can get the tastes and sights of the inner island. Maybe one of the bioluminescent bays, El Yunque National Rain Forest, and of course the beaches we frequented as a family," reminisced Lugo. "While there will be many worthwhile experiences for them to remember, I think what I'd like to think they'll bring back is the warmth with which they will be greeted and treated. The island offers food, music, culture, nature, but it's the overwhelming love of the people that makes me miss home."

Both Davenport and Banks want to experience everything that the island exudes.

"I never been out of the country, so I'm excited to see what it brings. I'm very open to everything that's going to happen. Just overall, I'm very excited," conveyed Banks. Subsequently, Davenport pointed out that, "We're going to spend a lot of time together in Puerto Rico and make strong connections. I'm excited to experience their culture and experience that as a team."

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Temple Volleyball Takes to Puerto Rico

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