Jason Walker, UP Sports Information Director
Merida, Mexico – The University of Providence women's basketball team arrived late Tuesday night in Mexico to take part in the 2022 FISU Americas Games. The Argos will be representing Team USA at the games and are the first NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) team to play as the United States. Wednesday, the team toured parts of the area and took in the culture of Mexico and the games. When it was announced last spring that Providence would be playing in the games, fundraising and preparation took center court for the team to make the trip.
Many of the players have never been to Mexico so this is an exciting moment for the program. When Head Coach Bill Himmelberg relayed the message of the trip to the team, Senior Brooklyn Harn remembered that she could not believe it at first, "I was mind blown. I was so surprised." Harn, who hails from Olympia, Wash., is looking forward to the games, adding that she is also looking forward to learning about Mexico and other nations that will be there, "It is an opportunity to go help out people there, which I am extremely excited about, not just helping, but learning from their culture." Touring around visiting old ruins is also high on the list of excitement for the team and Harn says getting to visit one of the oldest Catholic churches in North America means a lot, "I grew up Catholic, so I think it is a very cool experience to have."
There is a cliché in sports that you play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back and that has resonated throughout the Providence basketball team, and university. Providence has been working out and practicing wearing official Team USA gear all summer and leading up to the trip this week and for Harn, putting on the colors of her home country was something special, "I am blessed to have that opportunity. I have a cousin serving in the military right now and seeing him do it motivates me to do something here too."
The Argos are using this experience in part to continue growing as a team, one that has seven freshmen on the roster. They will play five games in five days with the pressure of different international rules, plus getting comfortable with each other as a team. Harn says that could be a benefit in the long run, "I feel like it is going to be a big learning experience overall, not just on the court for our team. We are still learning about each other, we are still wanting to learn about each other, about how each other plays together. It is going to be interesting. It will help set up how we are going to play the rest of the season too which is going to help."
Providence will play teams from Argentina, Brazil and the host Mexico in round-robin play before the medal round. "I am excited to see how different countries play, how they work together, how they play the game of basketball" says Harn. "But I am also excited to bring our culture and how we play to the floor."
When asked what it will be like to hear the National Anthem while wearing Team USA jerseys, Harn says will be amazing, "There is a lot of responsibility that comes behind that. We are representing not just ourselves; we are representing so much more. When we put on that red, white, and blue it is so much more than just Providence and the Argos. It is every single person in our country. We are representing the people that protect our country, the first responders, everybody." Junior Maddy Dixon from Pomeroy, Wash., echoes Harn's feelings, "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we are getting. I think that while we want to have fun and enjoy the basketball, not taking for granted this opportunity that we get to represent our country and do the best we can to represent Providence, the small schools, the small communities, and our country."
Action starts Friday morning at 10:30 AM MDT as the Argos take on Team Argentina. There are many ways to watch the FISU Americas Games including at the Halftime Sports Bar which will have breakfast and lunch specials. In addition, the University of Providence is holding watch parties for each game at the in the Student Center with $3 dollar lunch specials for staff and students. Drinks will be served beginning at 10:30 with lunch during normal hours of 11am-1pm. If you are unable to make it to the campus or the Halftime, visit www.upargos.com for live streaming and stats.
