December 13, 2006
Eagles Go International: DWC Welcomes Hamamatsu University
 

For the first time ever, the Daniel Webster College (DWC) men’s basketball team is about to go international.

The Eagle men’s basketball program will welcome the Ramblers of Hamamatsu University from Hamamatsu, Japan for an exhibition game on Wednesday, December 20th. Tip off at DWC’s Vagge Gymnasium is set for 3:00 p.m.

“This is an exciting moment not only for our athletic program, but for the College, itself,” said Daniel Webster President Robert E. “Skip” Myers. “As we welcome representatives from Hamamatsu University, the common spirit of sportsmanship creates new opportunities for both of our institutions to grow new and positive relationships that cross miles and cultures.”

The exhibition match will mark a significant milestone in the history of DWC athletics as the Ramblers will be the first international program to visit the College campus or play an Eagle program in any sport.

The visit by Hamamatsu is the result of a joint collaboration of Ramblers’ Head Coach Takanobu (Taka) Kimaya; Daniel Webster Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs for Athletics Phil Rowe; and William Miller of New Hampshire Community Technical College, former commissioner of the National Small College Athletic Association. Miller developed an exchange program with the Japanese university in 2001, and this year will mark the Rambler’s fourth trip to the United States.

“This is a unique and exciting moment for the history of our program," said Rowe. "This visit by Hamamatsu provides a great opportunity to give the student-athletes from both teams a taste of a different culture that is bridged through their common passion for basketball."

First Year Eagle Head Coach Eddie Quick has guided his charges to a 3-3 mark in the early going of the 2006-07 campaign and the team stands 1-1 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play.

Kimaya has led the Ramblers’ program since its inception in 1995 and has slowly built it into a regional and national contender playing in the Tokai Basketball Federation. The Ramblers have also been contenders in the annual Shikuoka Fall and Spring Student Championship tournaments.

Additional Note (added 12/14/06): Incidentally, Hamamatsu's visit will mark just the third time a team from the Far East has visited New Hampshire's collegian teams. The Ramblers played now defunct Notre Dame College in Manchester in 2002, just prior to the College's closing later that Spring. The first Far East visit was the Chinese men's national champions, who played at Dartmouth College on November 9, 1979.