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ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women’s basketball team recently wrapped up a successful European tour, as the Phoenix went a perfect 7-0 over an 11-day span and had an extensive cultural and educational experience.

The team began its trip with three days of sightseeing in Paris, and while the Phoenix did not play any exhibition contests in France, it was a great opportunity for the players and new coaching staff to spend quality time together.

“We were assigned different groups each day and it was a wonderful experience and a great way for us to see which individuals were going to step up and be the leaders within the group,” said Elon head women’s basketball coach Charlotte Smith. “It told a lot about the personalities and the character traits of our players.

My favorite part about Paris was the metro system. It was always interesting to see the players pulling out their maps and figuring out the metro system and where we needed to be each day,” Smith added. It was very intriguing and insightful to see the character traits of not having to be the leader and letting our players take charge.”

Following its time in Paris, the team trekked to Ieper, Belgium, for a contest against the Crack Blue Cats. The Phoenix did not disappoint in its European opener, claiming a 66-51 victory.

A day later, the Phoenix took on the Kangoeroes Boom, the top-ranked semi-professional team in Antwerp, Belgium. The two squads battled back and forth all game, but in the end, the Phoenix came away with a 74-67 victory.

“Our resiliency and toughness really stood out on the court in our first two games in Belgium. Both games were tough and physical battles that really tested us,” Smith said. “A lot of the local fans were surprised to see us beat the Kangoeroes Boom. There were times were we had lapses, but we really showed our resiliency and held on to pull it out. I was so excited for the girls and it was exciting for them to know that they could overcome adversity against the favorite team in an unfamiliar environment.”

Following the Phoenix’s two victories in Belgium, the team shuffled to the Netherlands for two off days in Amsterdam that included a 16-mile bicycle trip through the countryside.

“I was honestly concerned about a 16-mile bicycle trip before a game, but they were mentally tough and pulled it out,” Smith said. “The weather was terrible and everyone stayed positive, which showed a lot about the team’s ability to handle adverse conditions and circumstances you can’t control. We laugh about it now, but it really was a great time.”

After two days in Amsterdam, Elon went back to Belgium to play in the Ninth Annual Flanders Basketball Trophy tournament in Ghent. The tournament featured a total of 67 teams from 18 different counties and Elon was one of only two teams from the United States in the field.

“From my experiences playing overseas, it’s always physical, so I told the team to prepare themselves for a physical battle,” Smith said. “Our toughness and mental focus to play three games in one day after the 16-mile bike ride was so impressive and I’m proud of how focused the team stayed.”

The Phoenix kept the momentum going in tournament play, going a perfect 3-0 on the first day after topping the competition by an average of 56 points per game. Elon cruised to a 72-28 win in game one before claiming an 87-19 victory in game two and an 80-24 win in game three.

Elon kept its dominance rolling on day two, as the Phoenix rolled to a 60-30 win over the Toronto Knights in the semifinals to earn a berth in the Flanders Basketball Trophy championship game. The Phoenix went on to a 65-35 victory in the title game against the Basket Club de Chenove.

“We had the opportunity to play a lot of people and see what everyone can do in game situations,” Smith said. “I’m grateful for this trip because it gave me an opportunity before the season started to get my feet wet as a head coach and it was a great experience for me personally as well.”