AMHERST, N.Y. -- Three members of the Daemen University women's soccer team,
Nevada Hahn (Lancaster, N.Y.),
Kylie Miranto (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) and
Becca Schultz (Grand Island, N.Y.) are headed across the pond to play soccer in Italy from June 14th through the 24th in the 2025 Italy Soccer Tour through a program called Beyond Sports. While abroad, the Wildcat trio will play in three games and travel to three different areas around Italy, starting in Milan/Lake Como, then heading to wine country to visit Montecatini Terme where they will visit Pisa, Florence, Tuscany and Cinque Terre, then close out their trip in Rome.
"I am most excited about traveling with my friends to a country I've never been to and to play the sport I love while experiencing a new place at the same time," Hahn said of the opportunity. "I am also very excited about all the included activities as part of the tour such as a cooking class in Tuscany."
"I'm most excited to explore the different cities in Italy as well as compete there and see what that's like!" Miranto said. "I'm so happy that I am able to do this with some of my teammates, and I'm excited to experience these new adventures with them and make new memories together."
"I'm most excited to be going to Europe for the first time ever and getting to explore everything with some of my closest friends!" Schultz said. "It's such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can't wait to sightsee, take it all in, and make amazing memories together, both on and off the field."
Hahn, Miranto and Schultz were selected to attend the program based on statistical performance, all-conference honors and coach recommendations, and Beyond Sports contacted head coach
Dan Dolan to gauge their interest. In the college division, there are 27 players split between two teams across all three NCAA Divisions and NAIA. Beyond Sports has hosted over 10,000 athletes over 14 years to participate in a myriad of different sporting events across the world.
"I think it's going to be so much fun! I honestly don't think I'd want to do this without them [Kylie and Nevada]. Having my teammates by my side for such a unique and exciting opportunity makes it even more special. We've built such a strong bond on and off the field, so getting to experience this together, and make memories that we'll never forget, is something I'm really grateful for," Schultz said of participating with two of her teammates.
All three Wildcats will return to Daemen in the fall for their senior seasons. In their final summer of college, Hahn, Miranto and Schultz reflect on how this program will help them improve and ready up for their last season of college soccer.
"I think this tour will be a huge advantage in preparing us for our senior season. Playing alongside other talented college athletes will push us to compete at a high level and grow as players," Schultz said. "On top of that, facing international teams in Italy will challenge us with different playing styles and intensity. It's a good opportunity to test ourselves before the fall, and I believe the experience will give us extra confidence and momentum heading into our final season."
"It will be nice to branch out and play with girls from across the country and against international players in Italy. I'm sure this experience will also enhance our bond on and off the field," Hahn said.
"I think this is going to prepare me for my senior season this fall in a few ways. We have a lot of freshman/newcomers coming in this year so being able to adapt and play with new teammates is an important skill to have. So playing games in Italy with new teammates that I have never met or played with before can help with this," Miranto said. "I also think that playing against new teams at a level that I've never experienced before could be beneficial as well."
With three Daemen players on the Italy Tour roster, Hahn, Schultz and Miranto look forward to representing The Wildcat Way in Italy!
"I'm happy to be able to represent Daemen Women's Soccer on an international scale," Miranto said. "We may be a small school here in Buffalo but this just shows the opportunities that can come from being a student athlete here. Now people in Italy and teammates from all over the country will know of Daemen!
"Representing Daemen Women's Soccer on an international scale is such an incredible honor. Coming from a small Division II school, opportunities like this don't always seem possible, but being recognized for our accomplishments during the 2024–25 season and then being selected for this tour shows that hard work truly pays off," Schultz said. "It's amazing to see how our dedication and success have opened doors to experiences like this, and I'm proud to represent our team on such a big stage."
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
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