Lehigh University soccer teams spending spring break in France

Lehigh University’s men’s and women’s soccer teams are spending their spring break across the pond in Le Havre, France.

The teams are leaving for the trip tonight and once in France will spend a majority of their time training and playing at the facilities of Le Havre Athletic Club. Vince Volpe, the principal owner and president of the professional Ligue 2 club is a 1980 Lehigh graduate.

“Having the opportunity to take the team to Le Havre for a week to train, compete and learn some history is a very unique opportunity for our student-athletes,” Lehigh men’s head coach Dean Koski said in a news release. “We will be competing against their U19 Academy team of aspiring professionals, as well as Le Havre's reserve team of full-time professionals, so we will be challenged in these two matches."

Volpe, who has been at Le Havre AC since 2015, is providing funding for the trip. The NCAA allows soccer programs to do international trips once every four years.

"All of us are incredibly appreciative of the generosity and interest Vince Volpe showed in our men's and women's programs," Koski said.

The men’s team is coming off a 7-10-1 season. Philadelphia Union Academy grad Doyle Tuvesson (Kennett Square, Pa.) was second on the team in goals with three and tied for first with four assists in 2016. Other returners with local ties include goalkeeper Will Smith (Devon, Pa.), forward Mark Forrest (Douglassville, Pa.), defender/midfielder David Zipkin (Berwyn, Pa.) and goalkeeper Paul Steingraber (Harleysville, Pa.).