TORONTO, Ont. (October 25, 2019) – Canada Basketball is pleased to announce the 16 athletes attending the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Americas Tournament in Edmonton next month.

“It’s always such an amazing experience when you get to have meaningful games played in Canada,” said Lisa Thomaidis, Head Coach, Senior Women’s National Team.  “With our road to Tokyo going through Edmonton, we couldn’t ask for anything more.  We are excited to showcase the team that we have put in place for these games, and know that the quality of the competition and the athletes that will be on display will not disappoint.”

The Edmonton EXPO Centre’s Hall D Arena will host Canada’s FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament from November 14-17.  

Canada will face Cuba (November 14 7:30 PM MT), Puerto Rico (November 16 5:00 PM MT) and Dominican Republic (November 17 4:00 PM MT).  Click here for the full tournament schedule.

Tickets to cheer on Team Canada start at just $15 and will go on sale to the public on Monday, October 28th at 10:00 AM MT and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca.  Day pass tickets grant fans access to both games of the double-header.

Want early access? Pre-sale tickets are available now to Team Canada insiders. Click here to sign up for our mailing list to receive advanced ticket information and secure your seats to cheer on Canada now.

“We are excited to host the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament at the Edmonton Expo Centre next month and are tremendously grateful for the support of the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Events, Province of Alberta and Sport Canada for making this a reality,” said Denise Dignard, Director Women's High Performance.  “It is always a special opportunity for our women’s team to play on home soil in front of Canadian fans.”

“Along with Alberta Basketball, the CEBL’s Edmonton Stingers and local partners, we are also committed to growing the game of basketball and inspiring the next generation of Edmontonians on the value of sport and living an active lifestyle,” Dignard said.

The newly developed Olympic pre-qualification tournaments will tip-off in November 2019 to qualify teams to the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020, and ultimately the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Africa will host one tournament, with the Americas and Asia-Oceania hosting two tournaments each.

22 national teams will take part in the upcoming FIBA Women's Pre-Qualifying Tournaments to qualify for one of the four global FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020, taking place in February 2020.

For the Americas and Asia-Oceania regions, eight teams per region will compete for four spots (top two teams per group), at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020 in February next year. For Africa, six teams will fight it out for two qualifying spots.  Meanwhile in Europe the top six teams from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 will qualify directly to the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020.

These 16 top teams will compete in the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020, taking place in February 2020, which will be split into four groups in a draw held later in the year.

The top three teams from each tournament will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Women's Basketball Tournament. Both the USA (FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 champions), and Japan (hosts), will play in the qualification tournaments and regardless of their results advance through to Tokyo 2020.

This is the start of an exciting new women's competition system for FIBA, with more than 100 teams taking part in the new system, that will also include a new qualification system for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022.  For more information about the Women's National Team Competition System, click here.

A full list of athletes, coaches and team schedule can be found below.  

Media interested in attending training camp can email Matt Walker (mwalker@basketball.ca) for additional information. Accreditation for the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament is now open via the FIBA Media Portal.

Canada is currently ranked 5th worldwide in the FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE and have participated in the past two Olympic Games (London 2012, Rio 2016).

SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM FIBA WOMEN'S OLYMPIC PRE-QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT ATTENDEES

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="680"><tbody><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p><strong>Name</strong></p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p><strong>Position</strong></p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p><strong>Height</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Hometown</strong></p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p><strong>2019-2020 Club / School</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Natalie Achonwa</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'3"</p></td><td><p>Guelph, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Indiana Fever (WNBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Kayla Alexander</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'4"</p></td><td><p>Milton, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Chicago Sky (WNBA) /</p><p>Cukurova Mersin (Turkey)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Laeticia Amihere</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'4"</p></td><td><p>Mississauga, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>South Carolina (NCAA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Miranda Ayim</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'3"</p></td><td><p>London, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Basket Landes (France)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Bridget Carleton</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'1"</p></td><td><p>Chatham, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) /</p><p>Townsville Fire (Australia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Shay Colley</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'9"</p></td><td><p>Brampton, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Michigan State (NCAA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Quinn Dornstauder</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Centre</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'4"</p></td><td><p>Regina, SK</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Zamarat (Spain)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Aaliyah Edwards</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'3"</p></td><td><p>Kingston, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Crestwood Prep (OSBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Kim Gaucher</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'1"</p></td><td><p>Mission, BC</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Mondeville (France)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Ruth Hamblin</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Centre</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'6"</p></td><td><p>Houston, BC</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Sami Hill</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'10"</p></td><td><p>Toronto, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Donau-Ries (Germany)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Miah-Marie Langlois</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'8"</p></td><td><p>Windsor, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Kia Nurse</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'0"</p></td><td><p>Hamilton, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>New York Liberty (WNBA) /&nbsp;</p><p>Canberra Capitals (Australia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Shaina Pellington</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'8"</p></td><td><p>Pickering, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Arizona (NCAA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'2"</p></td><td><p>Toronto, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>New York Liberty (WNBA) /&nbsp;</p><p>Nadezhda Orenburg (Russia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Jamie Scott</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'10"</p></td><td><p>Clarkston, WA</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia)</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

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SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM FIBA WOMEN'S OLYMPIC PRE-QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT COACHES & STAFF

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="584"><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Position</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Hometown</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Affiliation</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lisa Thomaidis</p></td><td><p>Head Coach</p></td><td><p>Dundas, ON</p></td><td><p>University of Saskatchewan</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Steve Baur</p></td><td><p>Assistant Coach</p></td><td><p>Sackville, NS</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Carly Clarke</p></td><td><p>Assistant Coach</p></td><td><p>Halifax, NS</p></td><td><p>Ryerson University</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Max Hirst</p></td><td><p>Coordinator, Performance Analysis</p></td><td><p>Collingwood, ON</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lauren Buschmann</p></td><td><p>Sports Scientist &amp; IST Manager</p></td><td><p>St. Catharines, ON</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball/CSI-Ontario</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Rhonda Shishkin</p></td><td><p>Physiotherapist</p></td><td><p>Saskatoon, SK</p></td><td><p>University of Saskatchewan</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Danielle Dobney</p></td><td><p>Athletic Therapist</p></td><td><p>Toronto, ON</p></td><td><p>York University</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bryce Tully&nbsp;</p></td><td><p>Mental Performance Consultant</p></td><td><p>Halifax, NS</p></td><td><p>CSC-Atlantic</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Marni Wesner</p></td><td><p>Lead Physician</p></td><td><p>Edmonton, AB</p></td><td><p>University of Alberta</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Anne Marie Thuss</p></td><td><p>Team Manager</p></td><td><p>Hamilton, ON</p></td><td><p>McMaster University</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Denise Dignard</p></td><td><p>Director, WHP</p></td><td><p>Port Cartier, QC</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mike MacKay</p></td><td><p>Performance Manager, WHP</p></td><td><p>Truro, NS</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Elaine Sun</p></td><td><p>Manager Women's Basketball Operations, WHP</p></td><td><p>Thornhill, ON</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Matt Walker</p></td><td><p>Communications Manager</p></td><td><p>Ancaster, ON</p></td><td><p>Canada Basketball</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

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SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM FIBA WOMEN'S OLYMPIC PRE-QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT COACHES & STAFF

<table border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>DATE</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>ITEM</strong></p></td><td><p align="center"><strong>TIME (MT)</strong></p></td><td><p>&nbsp;<strong>LOCATION</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 14</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. Cuba</p></td><td><p align="center">7:30 PM</p></td><td rowspan="3"><p align="center"><strong>FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament&nbsp;</strong></p><p align="center">Edmonton, AB</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 16</p></td><td><p>Canada vs.&nbsp;Puerto Rico</p></td><td><p align="center">5:00 PM</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 17</p></td><td><p>Canada vs.&nbsp;Dominican Republic</p></td><td><p align="center">4:00 PM</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

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