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NEWARK, DE -- A tour of Turkey led by University of Delaware Director of Sport Management and International Sports Institute programs Dr. Matt Robinson and including members of the Blue Hen women’s basketball team is currently underway.

The UD women’s basketball staff, which includes head coach Tina Martin (at right), associate head coach Jeanine Radice, former player Alena Koshansky, and current players Courtney Irving and Kyle DeHaven, and representatives from the Turkish Basketball Federation in conjunction with the FIBA Europe the Year of Women’s Basketball campaign have organized and will run coaching and players clinics for females in Turkey from June 12 to June 20.

The program will include clinics in Ankara, Adana, Istanbul, Kayseri, and Nevsehir. In addition to the Blue Hen basketball group and Dr. Robinson, also traveling with the contingent is UD Associate Professor, Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science Dr. David Barlow.

Among the organizations sponsoring the trip are the United States of America Department of State, United States Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, the University of Delaware Alumni Association, University of Delaware College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware College of Arts and Sciences, University of Delaware Center for International Studies, University of Delaware Men’s and Women’s Basketball Programs, University of Delaware International Sports Institute, the Turkish Basketball Federation, and FIBA Europe.

In addition to Robinson, also organizing the trip are Dr. Emir Turam, Director of International Relations Turkish Basketball Federation, Elizabeth McCay, Public Affairs Officer, United States Embassy in Ankara, and Tugba Karagulla, a 2006 University of Delaware master’s degree graduate, a former UD women’s basketball assistant coach, and a member of the Turkish Basketball Federation.

At each site, balls, posters, and t-shirts will be provided to participants and UD women’s players will share their experiences with the Turkish girls. In Adana, the group will christen two new outdoor basketball courts donated by the UD Alumni Association.

The trip is designed to promote the importance of sport participation for females in Turkey, cultural sharing between the United States and Turkey, continue to build upon existing relationships between the Turkish Basketball Federation and the University of Delaware, build positive lifelong relationships through basketball, and represent the United States and America and promote goodwill with an important U.S. friend and ally.

“This whole project is about a women, Tugba Karagulla, with a vision and a group of committed people working together to make that vision a reality,” said Robinson of the trip. “We are so excited that Coach Martin, her staff, and players were willing to travel and give clinics and that we had so much support from the UD community. This project just reinforces the power sport has to bring people together to make a difference in the world.”s

The UD contingent arrived in Ankara on June 12, gave a clinic in Kayseri on June 13, and plans to give clinics in Nevsehir on June 14-15, in Adana on June 16, in Mersin on June 17, and complete the trip in Istanbul on June 18-19.

Martin has led her teams to a record of 205-110, seven 20-win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and four Women’s National Invitation Tournament berths over the last 11 seasons. This past year, the Blue Hens posted a record of 26-6, finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association regular season standings with a 16-2 mark, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Koshansky, who graduated from Delaware in May, was a four-year standout at point guard and served as a team co-captain the last two seasons. A member of the CAA All-Academic team, she averaged 7.3 points per game and dished out a team-high 106 assists this past season. Irving, who will be a senior forward this coming season, averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game a year ago while DeHaven, who will be a senior guard in 2007-08, averaged 8.5 points per game and led the team with 106 assists and 99 steals this past season.

Members of the UD traveling party will write daily blogs of their experiences which will be posted each day on the UD athletics website at www.udel.edu/sportsinfo.