Colorado University Athletics
Thorne II Headed to Europe with AIA
XENIA, Ohio ? University of Colorado senior Dwight Thorne II will be one of 10 NCAA Division I student-athletes from across the United States coming together to embark on a one-week competitive international tour against teams in Poland and Berlin, Germany.
The AIA team is one of 12 Athletes In Action international-touring men’s and women’s basketball teams this summer.
The team will depart May 18 and begin a training camp in Katowice, Poland on May 19 for four days, then start playing games May 22. AIA will play three games in Poland and a pair in Berlin. The AIA team returns to the U.S. May 27.
This will be Thorne’s second AIA tour having participated in the Summer 2007 when he travelled on a one-week basketball tour in Germany. Team USA won all six games, averaging 98 points per game.
“When I went to Germany, I developed a good relationship with the director and he asked me if I would like to come to Poland, so I agreed,” Thorne II said. “I think this will help my leadership because it’s an opportunity to be in a different element in Poland, with 10 different guys trying to win the tournament. So if I can be a big piece in the puzzle, and help the team win, I just think it will make me become a better player because of the different circumstances.”
Thorne II will be the lone senior on the Buffaloes roster in 2009-10. The Arlington, Texas native is coming off his finest collegiate season, finishing second on the team in scoring (12.0 ppg.), making 48 percent of his shots from the field (128-of-266), and leading CU from the three-point arc with 45 treys. He also averaged 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
The goals of this AIA tour are to provide a rich cross-cultural experience for each team member and for team members to grow in their personal faith. Athletes In Action is a Christian sports organization.
Among those participating with Thorne II are Mark Koltun (Lafayette); Quincy Acy (Baylor); and EJ Kusnyer (Mercer); Koang Doluony and Dwayne Lathan (Indiana State); Cory Johnson and Brandon Wood (Valparaiso) and Abe Lodwick and Robbie Cowgill (Washington State).
The team will be coached by Kevin McKenna, the head coach at Indiana State.
Illinois head coach Bruce Weber will also travel with the team and will conduct coaching clinics in Katowice, Poland and Berlin, Germany.
AIA is active in 75 countries, on nearly 125 U.S. college campuses, and with 35 U.S. professional sports teams. AIA has approximately 500 staff members.
To learn more about Athletes In Action go to their website, www.athletesinaction.org