The U.S. soccer team isn’t the only team traveling to compete

internationally this… The U.S. soccer team isn’t the only team traveling to compete

internationally this summer.

The Pitt men’s basketball team will also have an opportunity to face foreign

teams when it travels to Ireland at the end of July.

The Panthers will play six games against the English National Team, the

Irish National Team and the Melbourne Tigers in various cities such as Cork,

Dublin and Belfast.

“From a basketball perspective, this is an outstanding opportunity for our

team to get an early start on the season,” coach Jamie Dixon said in a press

release.

“It is also a chance for the players, coaches, support staff, administration

and families to experience Ireland.”

While on the trip, Pitt has been invited to a reception on Aug. 2 with

Pittsburgh Steelers owner and United States Ambassador to Ireland Dan

Rooney.

The team will also visit a local hospital managed by UPMC, meet with Peace

Players International and tour throughout Dublin.

The Panthers had their first of ten practices Friday in preparation for the

trip, as allotted by the NCAA, which allows teams to go on these types of

trips once every four years.

Pitt’s last international trip came in 2004 when the Panthers went to

Toronto on Labor Day.