Team Canada Tips-off Rio 2016 Preparations May 21st in Edmonton, AB
Tickets on-sale now for 3-game exhibition vs. Team China July 9th -11th
TORONTO, ON (May 10, 2016) – Canada Basketball is pleased to announce the 24 athletes that have been invited to participate in the Women’s National Team Phase 1 camp at the Saville Community Centre in Edmonton, from May 21st-30th.
“After a tremendous 2015, we’re excited to get the 2016 senior season started as we prepare for our second-consecutive Olympic games,” said Denise Dignard, Director, Women’s High Performance. “Our players have all had great seasons with their respective clubs or schools and have been looking forward to 2016.”
The 2015 back-to-back gold medalist will reunite in Edmonton on May 21st for the first phase of training before a squad will be nominated to travel to Spain and France for a five-game exhibition tour. Canada, currently 9th in FIBA World Rankings, will face-off against 2nd-ranked Australia, 3rd-ranked Spain, 4th-ranked France, 8th-ranked China and 13th-ranked Cuba.
Canada will re-group on June 28th in Edmonton for the second phase of training, where they will host China for the Edmonton Grads International Classic (EGIC) from July 9th-11th at the Saville Centre in Edmonton, AB. Tickets are now available, click here to purchase.
The final phase of training will begin July 22 in Toronto, ON. The team will then head to the U.S. for an exhibition tournament before heading to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games from August 5 -22.
The full list of invitees, staff and schedule for Phase 1 follows:
| NAME | POSITION | HEIGHT | HOMETOWN | CLUB/SCHOOL |
| Natalie Achonwa | Power Forward | 6’3” | Guelph, ON | Indiana Fever (WNBA) |
| Miranda Ayim | Power Forward | 6’3” | London, ON | Basket Landes (France) |
| Adut Bulgak | Centre | 6’4” | Edmonton, AB | New York Liberty (WNBA) |
| Bridget Carleton | Guard | 6’1 | Chatham, ON | Iowa State (NCAA) |
| Shay Colley | Guard | 5’7” | Brampton, ON | Pittsburgh (NCAA) |
| Laura Dally | Guard | 5’9” | Sarnia, ON | Saskatchewan (CIS) |
| Quinn Dornstauder | Centre | 6’4” | Regina, SK | Arizona State (NCAA) |
| Nirra Fields | Guard | 5’6” | Montreal, QC | Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) |
| Kim Gaucher | Shooting Guard | 6’1” | Mission, BC | Mondeville (France) |
| Saicha Grant-Allen | Forward | 6’4” | Hamilton, ON | Dayton (NCAA) |
| Ruth Hamblin | Centre | 6’6” | Houston, BC | Dallas Wings (WNBA) |
| Miah-Marie Langlois | Point Guard | 5’8” | Windsor, ON | Dynamo-Guvd Novosibirsk (Russia) |
| Lizanne Murphy | Small Forward | 6’1” | Beaconsfield, QC | Angers (France) |
| Kia Nurse | Point Guard | 6’0” | Hamilton, ON | UConn (NCAA) |
| Katherine Plouffe | Small Forward | 6’3” | Edmonton, AB | Nantes Reze (France) |
| Michelle Plouffe | Small Forwar d | 6’3” | Edmonton, AB | Mondeville (France) |
| Emily Potter | Centre | 6’4” | Winnipeg, MB | Utah (NCAA) |
| Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe | Forward | 6’2” | Vernon, BC | Wasserburg (Germany) |
| Karly Roser | Guard | 5’10” | Hamilton, ON | Neuss (Germany) |
| Tamara Tatham | Small Forward | 6’1” | Brampton, ON | Townville Fire (Australia) |
| Shona Thorburn | Point Guard | 5’10” | Hamilton, ON | Nantes Reze (France) |
| Jamie Weisner | Guard | 5’9” | Clarkston, WA | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) |
| Korissa Williams | Guard | 5’8” | Windsor, ON | Dunkerque (France Div. 2) |
| Dakota Whyte | Guard | 5’9” | Ajax, ON | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
2016 SENIOR COACHES & STAFF
| Name | Hometown | Affiliation | Role |
| Lisa Thomaidis | Dundas, ON | University of Saskatchewan | Head Coach |
| Shawnee Harle | Calgary, AB | n/a | Assistant Coach |
| Bev Smith | Eugene, OR | n/a | Assistant Coach |
| Steve Baur | Sackville, NS | Canada Basketball | Assistant Coach |
| Dipesh Mistry | Markham, ON | Ryerson University | Performance Analyst |
| Joan Mlynarczyk | Toronto, ON | n/a | SW Physiotherapist & Therapy Lead |
| Danielle Dobney | Toronto, ON | McGill University | Athletic Therapist |
| Chris DalCin | Toronto, ON | n/a | Basketball Scientist |
| Sarah Kim | Toronto, ON | n/a | Lead Physician |
| Marni Wesner | Edmonton, AB | University of Alberta | Edmonton Lead Physician |
| Peter Jensen | Toronto, ON | n/a | Sport Psychologist |
| Susan Cockle | Edmonton, AB | n/a | Sport Psychologist |
| Anne Marie Thuss | Hamilton, ON | McMaster University | Team Manager |
| Elaine Sun | Thornhill, ON | Canada Basketball | Team Manager |
| Mikaela Berza | Mississauga, ON | Ryerson University | Team Manager |
2016 SUMMER SCHEDULE
| May 21-30 | Phase 1 camp | Saville Centre, Edmonton |
| June 1-9 | Training & Exhibition Spain Tournament
France Tournament
| Spain & France |
| June 26-July 8 | Phase 2 camp | Saville Centre, Edmonton |
| July 9-11 | Edmonton Grads International Classic vs Team China Game Times:
| Saville Centre, Edmonton |
| July 22-26 | Phase 3 Training | TBC, Toronto |
| July 27-31 | Phase 3 Exhibition | TBC, USA |
| August 5-21 | Olympic Games | Rio De Janeiro, Brazil |
Schedule, staffing and athletes subject to change.
ABOUT THE EDMONTON GRADS INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC
2016 marks the 2nd Edmonton Grads International Classic (EGIC), an event highlighting the relationship between Canada Basketball’s Women’s National Team and the City of Edmonton. The tournament will take place from July 9-11th at the Saville Community Sports Centre.
Named after the legendary Edmonton grads women’s basketball team – a team which swept four consecutive Olympic Games from 1924 to 1936 on their way to compiling an insurmountable 96.2 winning-percentage over 35 years – the EGIC will reconnect current players with Canada’s rich history in women’s basketball. For more information visit basketball.ca or click here to purchase tickets
For More Information & Media Requests, contact:
Bailey Williams, bwilliams@basketball.ca, 647.460.7976
Bailey Williams, bwilliams@basketball.ca, 647.460.7976
Courtesy Canada Basketball
Drew Ebanks
