MORRIS, Minn. - When the school year winds down, a majority of college students head home to begin working at their summer jobs.
 
For one Minnesota Morris volleyball player though, she will begin her first week of summer break south of the border.
 
Freshman setter Layne Herrmann will depart Monday, May 15 for Costa Rica for an eight-day Beyond Sports Volleyball Tour where she will be joined by other collegiate volleyball players from across the country from all NCAA and NAIA divisions.
 
Aside from playing volleyball, participants will take part in various Costa Rica excursions such as zip-lining through the rain forest or white-water rafting. One of the important aspects of the trip is the opportunity for the players to run service-learning volleyball clinics for Special Olympics and local schools and clubs.
 
For Herrmann, this will be her first time out of the United States. That meets with varying emotions, but this is something she is looking forward to.
 
"I'm definitely both excited and nervous," she said. "It will be worth it, because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
 
The tour is comprised of three teams each named after a Costa Rican animal. Herrmann will be on "Team Turtle" which consists of one NCAA Division I athlete, three NCAA Division II athletes, one NAIA player, and seven NCAA Division III athletes, including three from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls.
 
Herrmann, the 2016 UMAC Rookie of the Year, will look to see this as an opportunity to grow as a player and a teammate.
 
"I hope that I learn a lot and I hope that the level of play goes up a little bit," she said. "I think that'll help me mentally and physically. I just really want to learn from them and see their take on the game."
 
Herrmann will be accompanied on the trip by a familiar face. Minnesota Morris Head Volleyball Coach Lauren Torvi is the head coach of "Team Turtle."
 
For Torvi, it will be fun for her to see Herrmann in this setting.
 
"It has been fun to see Layne grow as a person," she said. "She's a bit of an introvert so I think it's going to be great for her to be around people she hasn't played with before and learn to be a leader as a setter on a court with them. This will be a great growing experience for her."
 
You can be able to follow Herrmann's and Torvi's trip through the ummcougarvolleyball Instagram page.