First phase of training tips-off in Edmonton, AB on May 12th
Training Camp Media Availabilities: May 13, 15, 18, 20 & 22
TORONTO, ON (May 11, 2017) – Today, Canada Basketball announced the 33 athletes invited to participate in the Women’s National Team Program Assessment camp from May 12-22 at the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton, AB.
“After our second-consecutive trip to the Olympics, we’re excited to start preparing for a new qualifying cycle,” said Denise Dignard, Director, Women’s High Performance. “This phase is focused on bringing our pool of athletes together and assessing our path forward to Tokyo 2020. Our athletes, coaches and staff have all had great seasons with their respective clubs and schools and we’re looking forward to coming together.”
Media are invited to post-practice scrums on the following dates. Please RSVP to bwilliams@basketball.ca. Practices will take place at the Saville Centre (11610 65 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB).
Saturday, May 13
4:30 p.m. Gym Opens
5:00 p.m. Availability
Monday, May 15
4:30 p.m. Gym Opens
5:00 p.m. Availability
Thursday, May 18
4:30 p.m. Gym Opens
5:00 p.m. Availability
Saturday, May 20
12:15 p.m. Gym Opens
12:45 p.m. Availability
Monday, May 22
4:30 p.m. Gym Opens
5:00 p.m. Availability
All times in MDT. Dates & times subject to change.
Following training, a squad will be named to travel to Spain and France for a five-game exhibition tour. Canada, currently ranked 6th in the world, will face-off against 2nd-ranked Spain, 13th-ranked Japan, 27th-ranked Montenegro, 3rd-ranked France, and 41st-ranked Ukraine.
The full list of invitees, staff and schedule for Phase 1 follows:
PLAYERS INVITED TO 2017 WNTP ASSESSMENT CAMP – PHASE 1
| NAME | POSITION | HEIGHT | HOMETOWN | CLUB/SCHOOL |
| Natalie Achonwa* | PF | 6’3” | Guelph, ON | Indiana Fever (WNBA) |
| Kayla Alexander* | F/C | 6’4” | Barrie, ON | San Antonio Stars (WNBA) |
| Laeticia Amihere | F | 6’3” | Mississauga, ON | King’s Christian Collegiate (OSBA) |
| Miranda Ayim | PF | 6’3” | London, ON | Basket Landes (France) |
| Adut Bulgak | C | 6’4” | Edmonton, AB | San Antonio Stars (WNBA) |
| Bridget Carleton | G | 6’1” | Chatham, ON | Iowa State (NCAA) |
| Shay Colley | G | 5’7” | Brampton, ON | Michigan State (NCAA) |
| Paige Crozon | F | 6’1” | Humboldt, SK | Utah (NCAA) |
| Mauranne Corbin | F | 6’3” | St. Bruno, QC | Montmorency (CECEP) |
| Laura Dally | G | 5’9” | Sarnia, ON | BG 89 Avides (Germany) |
| Quinn Dornstauder | C | 6’4” | Regina, SK | Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) |
| Nirra Fields | G | 5’6” | Montreal, QC | Atlanta Dream (WNBA) |
| Mael Gilles | G/F | 6’1” | Montreal, QC | Montmorency (CECEP) |
| Saicha Grant-Allen* | C | 6’5” | Hamilton, ON | Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) |
| Ruth Hamblin | C | 6’6” | Houston, BC | Perth (Australia) |
| Sami Hill | G | 5’10” | Toronto, ON | Virginia Tech (NCAA) |
| Alyssa Jerome | F | 6’1” | Toronto, ON | Harbord CI (HS) |
| Jaelyne Kirkpatrick | G | 5’7” | Oakville, ON | Illinois (NCAA) |
| Alex Kiss-Rusk# | C | 6’4” | Beaconsfield, QC | McGill (U Sport) |
| Aislinn Konig | G | 5’9” | Langley, BC | NC State (NCAA) |
| Miah-Marie Langlois | PG | 5’8” | Windsor, ON | Enisey Krasnoyarski Kraj (Russia) |
| Kia Nurse | PG | 6’0” | Hamilton, ON | UConn (NCAA) |
| Shaina Pellington | G | 5’7” | Pickering, ON | Durham Elite (OSBA) |
| Katherine Plouffe | SF | 6’3” | Edmonton, AB | Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) |
| Michelle Plouffe | SF | 6’3” | Edmonton, AB | Mondeville (France) |
| Emily Potter | C | 6’4” | Winnipeg, MB | Utah (NCAA) |
| Daneesha Provo | F | 6’0” | Dartmouth, NS | Utah (NCAA) |
| Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe* | F | 6’2” | Vernon, BC | New York Liberty (WNBA) |
| Kellie Ring# | G | 5’9” | Ottawa, ON | Ryerson (U Sport) |
| Erika Steeves# | F | 6’2” | Montreal, QC | Brown (NCAA) |
| Rashida Timbilla# | F | 6’1” | Ottawa, ON | Lombos Quinta (Portugal) |
| Jamie Weisner* | G | 5’9” | Clarkston, WA | Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) |
| Dakota Whyte | G | 5’9” | Ajax, ON | Proteas (Greece) |
*Athletes currently in WNBA season as of May 10, 2017
#Athletes invited from Women’s Open ID Camp on May 10, 2017
COACHING & TEAM STAFF
| NAME | POSITION | HOMETOWN |
| Lisa Thomaidis | Head Coach | Dundas, ON |
| Shawnee Harle | Assistant Coach | Calgary, AB |
| Steve Baur | Assistant Coach | Wolfville, NS |
| Fabian McKenzie | Assistant Coach (DWNT HC) | Glace Bay, NS |
| Carly Clarke | Assistant Coach (JWNT HC) | Halifax, NS |
| Jacqueline Lavallee | Guest Coach | Saskatoon, SK |
| Rhonda Shishkin | Physiotherapist | Saskatoon, SK |
| Danielle Dobney | Athletic Therapist | Toronto, ON |
| Michelle Bell | Athletic Therapist | Brampton, ON |
| Lauren Buschmann | Basketball Scientist / IST Manager | St. Catharines, ON |
| Bryce Tully | Sport Psychologist | Halifax, NS |
| Marni Wesner | SWNT Program Lead Physician | Edmonton, AB |
| Kristin Anstey | Physician (Phase 1 Competition) | Edmonton, AB |
| Olesia Markevych | Physician (Phase 2 Competition) | Edmonton, AB |
| Elaine Sun | Manager, Basketball Operations | Thornhill, ON |
| Anne Marie Thuss | Team Manager | Hamilton, ON |
| Hailey Roll | Team Manager | Port Credit, ON |
| Max Hirst | Performance Analyst Coordinator | Collingwood, ON |
| Ryan Nguyen | Performance Analyst | Markham, ON |
| Denise Dignard | Director, Women’s High Performance | Toronto, ON |
| Mike MacKay | Performance Manager, Women’s High Performance | Truro, NS |
2017 SWNT PHASE 1 SCHEDULE
| PHASE 1 | DATES | LOCATION |
| Assessment Camp | May 12-15 | Edmonton |
| Training Camp | May 16-22 | Edmonton |
| TOURNAMENT IN SPAIN | TBC, Spain | |
| Canada vs. Spain | May 26 | |
| Canada vs. Japan | May 27 | |
| TOURNAMENT IN FRANCE | Bordeaux, France | |
| Canada vs. Montenegro | May 31 | |
| Canada vs. France | June 1 | |
| Canada vs. Ukraine | June 2 |
Courtesy Canada Basketball
Drew Ebanks
