UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Lady Lions will begin their 2018-19 season with a nine-day tour of Spain August 9-18. The Lady Lions will visit three of Spain’s most popular cities and play three games while abroad.

“We are so excited for the wonderful opportunity that this trip to Spain presents for our program,” said head coach Coquese Washington. “Our student-athletes will benefit greatly from the enriching cultural experiences, and we are looking forward to growing as a team both on and off the court. The entire Lady Lion program is incredibly grateful to our administration and the supporters that helped to make this trip possible.”

By NCAA regulations, the Lady Lions are allotted 10 practices for the foreign tour and have taken part in five practices since the middle of July. The Lady Lions will be embarking on their first foreign trip since 2012 when Penn State traveled to France and Italy.

The Lady Lions will begin their tour of Spain with two nights in Madrid. Penn State will tour Madrid as well as medieval Toledo, the former Spanish capital. The Lady Lions will play their first game of the trip on Aug. 11 against a Spanish All-Star Team.

Penn State will then head to Valencia, the third-largest city in Spain, for three days. The Lady Lions will embark on a sightseeing tour of the city that is known for both its old-world charm and innovative contemporary architecture before visiting the Valencia Bullfighting museum. Penn State will play its second of three games on Tuesday Aug. 14 against another Spanish All-Star team at L’Alqueria del Basket.

The Lady Lions are set to wrap up their trip with three days in the famous city of Barcelona. Penn State will tour ancient city, visit Park Güell and La Sagrada Família, as well as take in the sights of a flamenco show. The Lady Lions play their final game against Cinkarna Celje, the reigning Slovanian/Adriadic League Champions, on Thursday Aug. 16.