Some Flyers have worn out their passports

Perry and Fox have been to Europe, while Searcy has visited New Zealand.

Graphic by Ted Pitts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Bracket

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 8:46 AM Thursday, November 19, 2009

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Kurt Huelsman, Marcus Johnson and London Warren — the senior basketball players for the University of Dayton — have been outside of the continental United States just twice: once as freshmen when the team visited Canada for an exhibition tour and this week for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic.

Canada, in fact, is the only other country most UD players have seen, and the trip to Puerto Rico — a U.S. territory — is their first trek to a land where English is a foreign language.

But a few players and coaches have traveled so extensively that their passports might be getting a little worn.

Senior guard Mickey Perry went to Italy with the Wisconsin basketball team before transferring to UD, taking in famous sights in Rome and Florence.

Junior forward Devin Searcy spent about two weeks in New Zealand last summer with Athletes in Action.

And senior guard Dan Fox took a trip to eastern Europe, stopping in Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Assistant coach Jon Borovich and four buddies checked out Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland on a 16-day vacation.

Fellow assistant Cornell Mann has been to Italy, Greece and Mexico.

UD director of basketball operations Matt Farrell and his brother, Eric, both Carroll High School graduates, covered 11 countries through the course of three family vacations.

“My mom thought it’d be good to be cultured and know the history of other countries,” Matt Farrell said.

A UD student manager, overhearing Huelsman share about his limited travel experience, joked, “His hometown’s got everything.”

Huelsman, a St. Henry native, nodded and said, “No reason to leave.”

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2125 or

dharris @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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