TOWSON, Md. - The ability to go home is one of those opportunities people look forward to every time the holiday season comes around. 

In the world of college athletics, however, that opportunity isn't always readily available. Hectic schedules, outrageous gas prices, costly airfare or even physical distance can unfortunately, at times, help the head outweigh the heart.

It comes with the territory.

No doubt about it, many would readily give up their daily grind in exchange for the opportunity to coach or work in college athletics. Not to mention, if a trip home isn't an option in December or January, there's always June or July when the academic year has come to a close - and the weather is typically a lot better.

For a couple of coaches within the Towson Department of Athletics, going home is never easy, regardless of the season. But, it just so happens that traveling during the holiday season makes the most sense for these two individuals. Not only are they "out-of-season," but the distance between Towson and "home" makes it difficult for them to visit often.

How far away, you ask?

Just a shade over 10,000 miles.

And yes, that's a "one" with four zeros behind it.

Head Coach Sonia LaMonica and Assistant Coach Hannah Nielsen of the Tiger women's lacrosse team are both native Australians and both relish the opportunity to see their families once each year - typically during December or January.

For LaMonica, the challenge is now two-fold: the impending lacrosse season and the recent addition to her family in one-year old son, Luca.

"It can be a challenge," said LaMonica. "I am very close with my family, so it is important to me that we can be together at least once a year, particularly now that I have a son which is my parents' only grandchild. Needless to say, this trip was very special."

Imagine ... more than 40 hours of flight time (home and back), an infant, reorienting said infant to his/her schedule upon returning and lacrosse practices beginning two weeks later.

Special, indeed.

For Nielsen, the dilemma is different, but always rewarding.

"I would love to go more often, but with how busy we are during the year, and the cost of flights these days, I usually just get back [to Australia] in December," she said. "But, when I do go, I try to go for at least a month to make it worth the trip.

"Every time I am home, I try to get back [to the Brighton Lacrosse Club] at least once to just check it out and see if anything has changed," Nielsen added. "It's the club where I learned to catch and throw and where I met a lot of my best friends."

Given their success both collegiately and with their country's national team, lacrosse is LaMonica and Nielsen's calling card and it also plays a role in their annual journey "Down Under."

"Many recent trips have offered a good opportunity to get in tune with some of the rising Australian talent," said LaMonica. "The lacrosse community in Australia is extremely small and well-connected, so it is relatively easy to have a handle on who the upcoming stars are nationwide."

Nielsen concurred, stating, "It is great to be able to see the younger Aussie talent and what the level of play is like back home. The amount of girls who are interested in coming to the States to play and experience what a lot of other Aussies have before them, is awesome."

While the Tigers' current roster is made up of Marylanders, New Yorkers, a Pennsylvanian, a Texan, a Virginian and a Michigander, it may not be long before a "Sandgroper" or "Crow Eater" is dawning the black and gold.