Athletics Collaboration – UC Riverside and UNAM Inaugural Student-Athletes Exchange
DATE
- Venue: Mexico City
The Athletic Collaboration between the University of California, Riverside, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México celebrated the inaugural student-athlete exchange from the UCR’s Men’s Soccer Team, that took place from the 23rd to the 30th of June 2023 in Mexico City.
In preparation for this visit, authorities of the University of California, Riverside (UCR Athletics) and the Dirección General del Deporte Universitario (DGDU), UNAM, with the support of UC Alianza MX, have been virtually meeting, since April 2022, to develop the programs and contents of this project.
On June 23, 2023, UNAM and UC Alianza MX welcomed 30 student-athletes and 8 UCR officials from UCR Athletics. The agenda was comprised of several activities for the student-athletes to perform throughout their exchange, including multiple trainings, matches, and cultural activities.
As part of the agreement reached in the collaboration, UNAM hosted the UCR’s Men’s Soccer Team athletic activities for the inaugural student-athlete exchange for a week. As such, Santiago Macotela, Director of Operations and Sports Venue at Deportes UNAM, was the main coordinator for all the activities to be developed inside the sports facilities of Ciudad Universitaria, such as breakfasts, training sessions, and games; UNAM sponsored these activities and co-sponsored accommodation for the team in a hotel outside Ciudad Universitaria.
The UCR Men’s Soccer Team played three games throughout their exchange in Mexico City. The first match took place on 06/25 against Universidad Panamericana’s representative soccer male team in the Roberto “Tapatío” Méndez Stadium; the second match (06/27) was played against the Club Universitario (U20) at Canteras 1; and the third and last match was (06/30) against Pumas UNAM, also at the Roberto “Tapatío” Méndez Stadium. As noted before, all matches took place inside the sports facilities of Ciudad Universitaria.
UC Alianza MX facilitated transportation for the entire team for them to move easily around the different arranged cultural activities during their time in Mexico City. Likewise, UC Alianza MX sponsored a tour to the Pyramids of Teotihuacan and a tour of downtown Mexico City. Further activities, such as a tour of the Estadio Azteca and Lucha Libre, were covered by UCR Athletics and comprised an invaluable cultural component of this project.
To celebrate the visit, UC Alianza MX hosted a reception at the Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico City. Andrea Galván, Associate Director of Academic Exchange and Continuing Education, gave some remarks pointing to the creation and significance of this collaboration, followed by Wesley Mallette, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, UCR. As a special guest, Alejandro Barrón, Sports Diplomacy from the Embassy of the United States in Mexico, expressed how relevant it would be for this collaboration to expand to new horizons; all of this framed around the 200th anniversary of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico.
To celebrate the visit, UC Alianza MX hosted a reception at the Casa de la Universidad de California in Mexico City. Andrea Galván, Associate Director of Academic Exchange and Continuing Education, gave some remarks pointing to the creation and significance of this collaboration, followed by Wesley Mallette, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, UCR. As a special guest, Alejandro Barrón, Sports Diplomacy from the Embassy of the United States in Mexico, expressed how relevant it would be for this collaboration to expand to new horizons; all of this framed around the 200th anniversary of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico.
As for the next steps, the UC Alianza MX Academic Exchange and Continuing Education team has been discussing the opportunities that have appeared with the Athletics Collaboration between UCR and UNAM. A new window of opportunity has been opened around the student-athlete exchanges, and the UC Alianza MX will continue to work on expanding this collaboration to other UC campuses, as well as starting to engage with other Mexican universities to incorporate other sports. Moreover, next year UNAM will be hosting, with the aid of UC Alianza MX, the UCR’s Female Soccer Team.
