Nov. 16, 2011

Allendale, Mich. - College athletic teams take trips abroad every year and a few of Grand Valley State's athletic teams have already taken such trips. The men's and women's golf teams went to Ireland, while the men's basketball team traveled to Mexico and the women's team played in Germany. Most recently, the women's soccer team made a trip to Denmark and Germany. Grand Valley State uses these trips as learning experiences outside of the classroom and cultural experiences that enable GVSU student-athletes to gain world-wide knowledge. The Grand Valley State baseball team is prepping for a trip abroad that will also be the experience of a lifetime and has been in the planning stages for over 18 months.

In conjunction with the University, head baseball coach Steve Lyon announced that the Laker baseball team will travel to Havana, Cuba for a four-game series of exhibition games against various teams from Cuba January 3-9, 2012. In addition to playing baseball, the GVSU program will be working with a Grand Rapids based organization called First Hand Aid in providing humanitarian efforts that include the delivering of medical supplies to hospitals and clinics, while also giving athletic supplies to various youth organizations around Havana.

Grand Valley State is just the second collegiate baseball team to travel to Cuba for exhibition games, following the University of Alabama which played in Havana in 2008. Grand Valley State is coming off its most successful season on the diamond, having won 32 straight games heading into the 2011 DII World Series and finishing with a 52-5 record. The Lakers return 13 seniors who have made significant contributions to the program.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity to take this trip to Cuba and compete against some of the best baseball players in the world," said Lyon. "This is going to be a great learning experience for everyone involved on the trip and I feel our group will be even more enriched while working with First Hand Aid in providing humanitarian efforts around Havana."

The Grand Valley State web site (www.gvsulakers.com) will have photo galleries and stories on the trip following the groups return from Cuba. Due to a lack of communication opportunities gvsulakers.com will not be able to provide daily accounts or details of the trip.