TORONTO, ON (June 10, 2019) - Canada Basketball is pleased to announce the 12 athletes selected to participate in a five-game European exhibition tour in Belgium (June 14-16) and Great Britain (June 18-19).
“We are looking forward to our exhibition series in Brussels and Manchester and for our senior athletes to gain international game experience against world-class talent as we play against Belgium, China, Spain and Great Britain,” said Denise Dignard, Director Women's High Performance.
These exhibition games will help Team Canada prepare for a busy summer that will see the team participate in the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2019 and Lima 2019 Pan-Am Games, as well as the FIBA Women's Pre-Qualifying Tournaments in Americas this fall.
Entering the tournament as two-time defending FIBA AmeriCup champions, Canada will look to make it three straight this September at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2019. Canada has found a spot on the podium in seven of the last eight competitions dating back to the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship for Women in Culiacan, Mexico.
In November, Canada will play in one of two FIBA Women's Pre-Qualifying Tournaments in Americas to qualify for one of the four global FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020, taking place in February 2020. Canada will qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a top three in their group in the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2020.
Looking to defend their gold medal from the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada will also be participating in the Lima 2019 Pan-Am Games (August 6-10). Canada is one of only three countries (Brazil, USA) to have participated in every Pan Am Games tournament since 1955, earning a gold, a silver and three bronze medals in 15 appearances. Additional details regarding Canada’s Pan-Am Games team will be announced at a later date.
A full list of athletes, coaches and team schedule can be found below.
Canada is currently ranked 5th worldwide in the FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE.
2019 SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM EUROPEAN EXHIBITION ROSTER
<table border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Name</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Position</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Height</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Hometown </p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>2018-2019 Club / School</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Kayla Alexander</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'4"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Milton, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Adelaide Lightning (Australia) / Indiana Fever (WNBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Miranda Ayim</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'3"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>London, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Basket Landes (France)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Cassandra Brown</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6’3”</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Vernon, BC</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dafni Agioy (Greece)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Quinn Dornstauder</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Centre</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6’4”</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Regina, SK</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Mann Filter (Spain)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Aaliyah Edwards</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Forward</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6’3”</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Kingston, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Crestwood Prep (OSBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Ruth Hamblin</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Centre</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">6'6"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Houston, BC</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Castors Braine (Belgium ) / Las Vegas Aces (WNBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Sami Hill</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'10"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Toronto, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Donau-Ries (Germany)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Aislinn Konig</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'9"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Langley, BC</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>North Carolina State (NCAA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Miah-Marie Langlois</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Point Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'8"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Windsor, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Shaina Pellington</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'8"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Pickering, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Oklahoma (NCAA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Merissah Russell</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5’11”</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Ottawa, ON</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Capital Courts (OSBA)</p></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Jamie Scott</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Guard</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p align="center">5'10"</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Clarkston, WA</p></td><td nowrap="nowrap"><p>Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia)</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
2019 SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM EUROPEAN EXHIBITION 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>Saskatoon, SK</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>Wolfville, 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 & 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>Patrice Pepin</p></td><td><p>Physiotherapist</p></td><td><p>Quebec City, QC</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bryce Tully </p></td><td><p>Mental Performance Coach</p></td><td><p>Halifax, NS</p></td><td><p>CSC-Atlantic</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jacquelyn Corkum</p></td><td><p>Physician</p></td><td><p>Halifax, NS</p></td><td><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sarah Leaitch</p></td><td><p>Team Manager</p></td><td><p>Newmarket, ON</p></td><td><p>N/A</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></tbody></table>
2019 SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM EUROPEAN EXHIBITION SCHEDULE
<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 (ET)</strong></p></td><td><p> <strong>LOCATION</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 14</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. China</p></td><td><p align="center">12:00 PM</p></td><td rowspan="3"><p align="center"><strong>Belgium Exhibition Tournament</strong></p><p align="center">Brussels, Belgium</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 15</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. Belgium</p></td><td><p align="center">1:00 PM</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 16</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. Spain</p></td><td><p align="center">8:30 AM</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 18</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. Great Britain</p></td><td><p align="center">2:30 PM</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p align="center">Manchester, England</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 19</p></td><td><p>Canada vs. Great Britain</p></td><td><p align="center">2:30 PM</p></td></tr></tbody></table>