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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Women’s Basketball Reflects on Trip to Spain
8/17/2025 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison was one of nine Division I women's basketball programs to take part in a foreign tour this offseason, enjoying an unforgettable nine-day getaway to Spain.
The other eight teams that traveled abroad this summer were Boise State (Greece), Cincinnati (Italy), George Mason (Spain), Howard (Portugal), Rice (Greece and Italy), UAlbany (Italy), South Alabama (Greece) and Yale (France and Spain).
The Dukes arrived in Madrid on Wednesday morning local time and took an orientation tour of the city with guides from Global Sports and Events. After checking out Puerta del Sol, Mercado de San Miguel and other public spaces, the team passed through Plaza Mayor for a welcome dinner at Restaurante Los Galayos for its first taste of paella.
On Thursday, JMU visited Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium where it took part in a 90-minute tour of the facility, including its museum and interactive areas. From there, the players were given the freedom to explore the Prado Museum, Real Jardin Botanico, El Retiro Park, or shopping areas around the city. After taking the sites, the Dukes played their first game of the trip with an exhibition against the Basketball Creators Club on Friday.
Being able to play in Spain was a great opportunity to build chemistry and compete against other teams which isn't something that happens every year, said Peyton McDaniel. I think we were able to learn a lot about ourselves that will help when we get back and start practicing.
The following day, the team took an excursion south to the medieval town of Toledo, which was kicked off by a zip line adventure across the Tagus River. There, the Dukes explored the area, enjoying marzipan and other local treats before heading back to the nation's capital for one more night.
JMU then hopped on a high-speed AVE train to Barcelona where it would spend the remainder of the trip. Upon arrival, the Dukes went on a scenic bus tour of the city, driving by the Palau Nacional and the Montjuïc area, which was the site of the 1992 Summer Olympics. The team concluded the day with a group dinner and Flamenco Show at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes, learning the local culture.
On Monday, the Dukes visited the Sagrada Família, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest unfinished Catholic church. That evening, JMU played its second and final exhibition of the tour with a matchup versus Basket Elite.
Tuesday featured a cooking class with local chefs in which the team was divided into groups for a competition. There, the players and coaches worked to create specific dishes, with Bree Robinson's tempura team taking home the victory.
The opportunity to explore and play games in Spain was amazing, but the best part about it was how much closer I got with my teammates and the fun memories that will last a lifetime, said Robinson.
The final day in Spain saw the Dukes take a catamaran out into the Mediterranean Sea to unwind and let off some steam by jumping into the water. JMU then closed the trip with a team dinner on the water featuring plenty of tapas and some cake to celebrate Regina Walton's birthday.
James Madison will kick off the 2025-26 season when it hosts Kent State on Nov. 3 as part of the MAC-SBC Challenge. The full non-conference schedule and game times will be announced at a later date.
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