George Washington University Athletics
On the Hunt
8/7/2018 2:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Scavenger hunt adds to summer fun for GW women's hoops
A summer day set aside for sightseeing began with an Uber ride to the National Zoo.
Then, Sarah Overcash and Neila Luma took off walking. They kept going. And going.
The GW women's basketball student-athletes hit one monument after another, looping their way around the tidal basin before reaching the National Mall.
They stopped at familiar attractions like the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument and a couple of them which Overcash, a native of nearby Chevy Chase, Md., had never noticed before. Their self-guided tour ended hours later at the Lincoln Memorial.
"I think my phone said we walked close to seven miles," Overcash said. "That's when we decided to call it a day."
Overcash and Luma's adventure earned them more than just a better sense of the nation's capital. The pair also racked up a boatload of points towards the team's summer scavenger hunt.
GW will get plenty of chances to play tourist on its upcoming 10-day foreign tour of Spain, but the Colonials have already started the fun closer to home.
This summer, head coach Jennifer Rizzotti wanted to encourage her Colonials to make the most of their free time during their time on campus. She knew a youthful squad could benefit from the chance to bond through exploring the city and figured that making it a friendly competition would add to the excitement.
Assistant coach Kevin DeMille took the lead brainstorming 100 activities in and around D.C. – from landmarks to find, to museums to visit, to food to try – and assigned each a point value. The student-athletes simply have to snap a photo of themselves in action to claim the points.
Check out a Smithsonian museum? One point. Go paddleboarding in the Potomac River? Two points. Visit a foreign embassy? Three points.
Six weeks in, the race is on. With the summer winding down, the Colonials are trying to climb the leaderboard by expanding their horizons.
"Last year, I really didn't do anything (off campus), but this year, it's been totally different," said Lexus Levy, who currently sits on top of the standings. "The scavenger hunt has really helped us open our view of the city. It's been awesome."
For Luma, GW's location was a major factor in her recruitment.
The rising sophomore from Pennsylvania is a Criminal Justice major with hopes of eventually working in the FBI. She figured studying at GW would give her the chance to make connections now to put her on the right path.
Coming from a small town, Luma is still getting used to life in the city, but her travels this summer have helped her become more comfortable with her bustling new home.
In addition to her monument tour with Overcash, she's been to most of the museums on the list, including a memorable trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. ("It was really sad, but it's just a good way to learn about history," she said.)
Plus, she's been to a bunch of new restaurants this summer, sampling Mediterranean cuisine, Spanish tapas and more.
"I love this city so much," Luma said. "I knew being here would be a perfect place for me."
Tori Hyduke has relished her summer crash course in college basketball and life in D.C. Over the past six weeks, the newcomer from New Jersey has tried to learn as much as she can on both fronts.
The off-the-court highlights have included a bike ride to the monuments with some of the other new additions to the squad and her first experience riding the D.C. Metro on a trip to the Tyson's Corner mall.
Before the fall semester begins, Hyduke is hoping to add to the list by claiming the two points that come with a tour of the U.S. Capitol.
"I actually didn't realize how big the city really is," Hyduke said. "There's just so much you can do."
In the end, someone will be crowned champion. The final sprint to the finish will decide who gets the bragging rights.
That's why Levy recently stepped out of her comfort zone for a trip to the iconic Ben's Chili Bowl.
"I'm not really a chili fan," Levy said, "but I gave it a try and it was really good."
It's a close race, and there's one notable item left on the board that no one has claimed yet: a 10-point bonus available for anyone who reads a book from Kramerbooks & Afterwords and submits a 500-word summary.
There's still time to make that happen, though.
"We'll see," Overcash said. "Maybe on the trip to Spain I'll do that. That sounds like something good to do on the plane."
(8/7/2018) GW Women's Hoops Summer Scavenger Hunt
Then, Sarah Overcash and Neila Luma took off walking. They kept going. And going.
The GW women's basketball student-athletes hit one monument after another, looping their way around the tidal basin before reaching the National Mall.
They stopped at familiar attractions like the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument and a couple of them which Overcash, a native of nearby Chevy Chase, Md., had never noticed before. Their self-guided tour ended hours later at the Lincoln Memorial.
"I think my phone said we walked close to seven miles," Overcash said. "That's when we decided to call it a day."
Overcash and Luma's adventure earned them more than just a better sense of the nation's capital. The pair also racked up a boatload of points towards the team's summer scavenger hunt.
GW will get plenty of chances to play tourist on its upcoming 10-day foreign tour of Spain, but the Colonials have already started the fun closer to home.
This summer, head coach Jennifer Rizzotti wanted to encourage her Colonials to make the most of their free time during their time on campus. She knew a youthful squad could benefit from the chance to bond through exploring the city and figured that making it a friendly competition would add to the excitement.
Assistant coach Kevin DeMille took the lead brainstorming 100 activities in and around D.C. – from landmarks to find, to museums to visit, to food to try – and assigned each a point value. The student-athletes simply have to snap a photo of themselves in action to claim the points.
Check out a Smithsonian museum? One point. Go paddleboarding in the Potomac River? Two points. Visit a foreign embassy? Three points.
Six weeks in, the race is on. With the summer winding down, the Colonials are trying to climb the leaderboard by expanding their horizons.
"Last year, I really didn't do anything (off campus), but this year, it's been totally different," said Lexus Levy, who currently sits on top of the standings. "The scavenger hunt has really helped us open our view of the city. It's been awesome."
For Luma, GW's location was a major factor in her recruitment.
The rising sophomore from Pennsylvania is a Criminal Justice major with hopes of eventually working in the FBI. She figured studying at GW would give her the chance to make connections now to put her on the right path.
Coming from a small town, Luma is still getting used to life in the city, but her travels this summer have helped her become more comfortable with her bustling new home.
In addition to her monument tour with Overcash, she's been to most of the museums on the list, including a memorable trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. ("It was really sad, but it's just a good way to learn about history," she said.)
Plus, she's been to a bunch of new restaurants this summer, sampling Mediterranean cuisine, Spanish tapas and more.
"I love this city so much," Luma said. "I knew being here would be a perfect place for me."
Tori Hyduke has relished her summer crash course in college basketball and life in D.C. Over the past six weeks, the newcomer from New Jersey has tried to learn as much as she can on both fronts.
The off-the-court highlights have included a bike ride to the monuments with some of the other new additions to the squad and her first experience riding the D.C. Metro on a trip to the Tyson's Corner mall.
Before the fall semester begins, Hyduke is hoping to add to the list by claiming the two points that come with a tour of the U.S. Capitol.
"I actually didn't realize how big the city really is," Hyduke said. "There's just so much you can do."
In the end, someone will be crowned champion. The final sprint to the finish will decide who gets the bragging rights.
That's why Levy recently stepped out of her comfort zone for a trip to the iconic Ben's Chili Bowl.
"I'm not really a chili fan," Levy said, "but I gave it a try and it was really good."
It's a close race, and there's one notable item left on the board that no one has claimed yet: a 10-point bonus available for anyone who reads a book from Kramerbooks & Afterwords and submits a 500-word summary.
There's still time to make that happen, though.
"We'll see," Overcash said. "Maybe on the trip to Spain I'll do that. That sounds like something good to do on the plane."
Players Mentioned
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