ITALY -- The Adrian College women's soccer team sent two of its members overseas to Italy earlier this summer, as Head Coach, Nathan Kronewtter, and rising Junior, Melanie Perhne, took part in an exclusive invitation-only tour of Italy organized by Beyond Sports from June 15 to June 24, 2025.
Over the course of the ten-day trip, student-athletes visited Milan and Lake Como, explored Tuscany's Montecatini Terme region, and concluded in Rome, engaging in three exhibition matches against respected Italian club teams and emerging undefeated with a 3–0 record.
Adrian's standout representative, Melanie Perhne, primarily featured at outside back throughout the trip but was shifted to forward in a decisive match versus a Serie C Roma club. She even delivered the game-winning goal in a closely contested 2–1 victory, demonstrating both tactical versatility and composure under pressure. "Both my teammate and coach at Adrian went on this trip last summer and had nothing but great things to say about their experiences," added Perhne about her opportunity. "I decided to challenge myself to do something new and different with this trip to Italy." Perhne went on to chat about how excited she was to experience new opportunities and meet other athletes on her trip. "I'm most excited about meeting new people and experiencing a new culture, as well as playing international soccer and learning different styles of play."
Coach Nathan Kronewetter served as the tour coach and liaison through Beyond Sports, orchestrating the College's international representation and laying the groundwork for future overseas endeavors. Off the field, the squad immersed themselves in cultural experiences including a guided Milan city tour and San Siro Stadium visit, a scenic boat ride to Bellagio on Lake Como, a Tuscan cooking class and visits to Pisa and Lucca, time exploring Cinque Terre's coastal villages, and evenings touring Rome's historic sites, creating lasting memories and fostering global awareness beyond soccer.
This inaugural Italy tour represents a significant milestone for Adrian College Women's Soccer, something that Kronewetter has implemented yearly since joining the Bulldogs. "I have been blessed with many opportunities to travel the world, explore different cultures and to gain international experiences all through the sport of soccer," said Kronewetter. "Beyond Sports offers collegiate soccer players an avenue to experience an international soccer tour for those that didn't have the opportunity to go on an overseas tour with their own college program. I have been fortunate enough to assist on these tours in organization and as a tour coach both in Spain and Italy. I am honored to represent Adrian College and our women's soccer program both internationally against some very good competition as well as within the organization where we work together to offer great experiences to student-athletes from around the states and their respective collegiate programs," added Kronewetter, who enters his third season with Adrian in 2025. Kronewetter's time with Beyond Sports has also led to professional opportunities for his previous athletes around the world, as recent graduate Emma Dalzochio also obtained an internship in Greece.
"As a former player who was fortunate enough to play in some of the largest international youth tournaments throughout Europe while in high school, and then experience an overseas collegiate tour with my own college program, I understand the value and importance of these opportunities," said Kronewetter. "It goes way beyond soccer, it's about life and an understanding that there is so much out there to pursue and experience. Sport is a vehicle to open these doors, and the educational experiences that are around each and every corner is proof that soccer can take you places. These trips have afforded me an opportunity to network and lay the foundation for future potential international trips for our Adrian College women's soccer student-athletes. I am always searching for ways to better our student-athlete experience here at Adrian College and an international tour with our players in the near future would be an adventure of a lifetime."
The duo's trip to Italy strongly reflects the institution's dedication to combining athletic performance, cultural literacy, and academic achievement. Moreover, it establishes a powerful precedent for future global engagement opportunities for student-athletes.
