The Lehigh women’s basketball team swaps Bethlehem for Greece

Lehigh women’s basketball traded its familiar surroundings in Bethlehem for beaches, historic landmarks and basketball courts of Greece for eight days this summer.

The trip gave the Mountain Hawks an opportunity to experience a new culture together while continuing to prepare for their upcoming season. 

For Lehigh, the value of the trip extended far beyond basketball.

Sophomore Myrto Lianoudi had a special perspective on the experience. As a native to Greece, she was able to return to places she knew well, this time with her college teammates experiencing them alongside her.

She said seeing her teammates experience Greece for the first time gave her a different appreciation for her home country. 

“It was awesome seeing everybody get excited and thrilled by things that I have been seeing my whole life,” Lianoudi said. “It made every tour and every walk so much more fun and interesting for me.” 

The trip gave Lianoudi an opportunity to share an important part of herself with her teammates. She introduced them to Greek culture, food and everyday life while helping them navigate her home country.

The culturally immersive experience was paired with an opportunity to compete in a different style of basketball. The Mountain Hawks faced two Greek teams during their eight-day stay and won both games.

Junior guard and forward Belle Bramer said the games were an important part of the trip because they allowed the team to see its summer development translate to competition.

“The games went well,” Bramer said. “It was good that we won both and got to see what everyone has been working on throughout the summer. I learned that we have a really deep roster.

Lianoudi said her Greek background helped prepare her for the demands of college basketball. 

Before coming to Lehigh, Lianoudi played in the professional women’s league in Greece and spent four years playing for the Greek national team.

“Even though European, and especially Greek basketball is a lot different from college basketball, there are many things you can get from it and carry them with you to your college experience,” Lianoudi said.   

Toughness, team spirit and leadership learned in the professional league prepared Lianoudi for college basketball.

While basketball provided a valuable competitive experience, senior Whitney Lind said she believes the memories made off  the court are equally important when the season begins.

“There were so many cool parts of the experience that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one,” Lind said. “For me personally, I had a few. First, one of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to see (Lianoudi) in her hometown, surrounded by familiar cultural experiences.”

She also said Lianoudi became a guide for the team, from recommending food to communicating with locals.

For Lind, one of the biggest benefits of the trip was simply having more time with her teammates away from the normal routines of college basketball.

“It’s not every year you can get to know your first-year teammates better by sitting on a beach in Greece,” Lind said. “The experience allowed our connections to grow faster, and I’m excited to see how this experience will impact our abilities on the court.”

Lind sais she is confident the eight-day experience will be remembered and discussed by her and her teammates for a long time. 

The trip also included family, sports administrators and friends, creating an experience that extended beyond just the players and coaches.

“We are truly one big family,” Lind said. “Being able to travel to a foreign country together made for countless memories.”