Lacrosse teams study abroad together

Coming off a conference championship and an NCAA win in the spring, men’s lacrosse made a surprising next move: a trip to Portugal and Spain. Women’s lacrosse made a similar postseason trip to the Netherlands and Spain.

Studying abroad as a Division I student-athlete can be challenging. Demanding schedules, academic pressure, and financial constraints all make it difficult to travel during the academic year. NCAA regulations permit summer international travel by teams once every four years.

While abroad, the teams participated in a variety of activities. The women’s team attended a Dutch Club Nationals tournament, hosted a clinic, played an exhibition game, and coached a youth class. They also hiked, surfed, and enjoyed traditional cuisines.

“Traveling with my teammates and best friends was an unforgettable experience,” said Jemma Peterkin, ’27.

The men’s team spruced up a community gymnastics club, played Scotland’s men’s team, toured historic cities, and kayaked.

“I loved spending time with teammates in a social and noncompetitive setting,” said Gavin Creo, ’27.

Donors made the trips possible.

“Because of donor support, we can offer our Spiders an elite student-athlete experience, and we ask a lot of them in earning that experience each year,” said men’s lacrosse coach Dan Chemotti, the 2025 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. “Having [this trip] made a reality was incredible.”