The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Field Hockey Canada have announced the sixteen women who have been selected to represent Canada at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games from July 10 to 26 in Toronto, Ontario.
The Pan American Games field hockey competition, which will be held at the new Pan Am Fields at the University of Toronto, serves as an official 2016 Olympic Games qualifying tournament, with both the men’s and women’s winner earning a spot at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next summer.
“We’ve played a number of the top teams in the world of the last two years, now it’s the last opportunity we have to qualify for the 2016 Olympics,” says Women’s National Team Head Coach Ian Rutledge. “The team we’ve picked represents the best sixteen players in the country at this time for us achieve that goal.”
The Canadian roster is led by captain Kate Gillis, who is from Kingston, Ontario, and vice-captains Thea Culley (Rossland, BC) and Danielle Hennig (Kelowna, BC). Culley is the Canadian women’s active cap leader with 136 senior matches to her name.
“To play for Canada on home soil is something I have been looking forward to ever since Toronto was named as host for the 2015 Pan American Games,” says Gillis, who is from Kingston, Ontario, and is one of three Eastern Canadian athletes named to the team. “Wearing the maple leaf on your chest and representing your country is an indescribable feeling of pride.”
“To be able to share that with our family and friends of a home crowd dawning the red and white, with an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics, will be an unforgettable experience.”
The Women’s National, currently twentieth in the field hockey world ranking, enters the tournament as the third ranked team, behind Argentina (World No.3) and the United States (World No.5). The Canadian women begin competition on July 13th against the Dominican Republic. Click here for Canada’s full tournament schedule.
The Canadian women last medaled in 1999 in Winnipeg, the last time a Pan American Games was held in Canada.
Canada will field the largest team in its Pan American Games history with more than 700 athletes expected to be named to the Team at the Games in Toronto. With TORONTO 2015 providing a “home Games” experience, as well as a number of qualification opportunities for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, these Games will offer a tremendous experience for Canada’s high performance athletes.
ROSTER – WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – 2015 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
|
Name |
Position |
Hometown |
Senior Caps |
|
Abigail Raye |
Defender |
Kelowna, BC |
133 |
|
Alex Thicke |
Midfielder |
Vancouver, BC |
16 |
|
Amanda Woodcroft |
Midfielder |
Waterloo, ON |
29 |
|
Brienne Stairs |
Forward |
Kitchener, ON |
78 |
|
Danielle Hennig* |
Defender |
Kelowna, BC |
97 |
|
Hannah Haughn |
Forward |
North Vancouver, BC |
92 |
|
Holly Stewart |
Forward |
North Vancouver, BC |
29 |
|
Kaitlyn Williams |
Goalkeeper |
White Rock, BC |
64 |
|
Karli Johansen |
Defender |
North Vancouver, BC |
46 |
|
Kate Gillis** |
Midfielder |
Kingston, ON |
133 |
|
Maddie Secco |
Midfielder |
Victoria, BC |
60 |
|
Natalie Sourisseau |
Midfielder |
Kelowna, BC |
76 |
|
Sara McManus |
Defender |
Tsawwassen, BC |
86 |
|
Shanlee Johnston |
Defender |
Vancouver, BC |
29 |
|
Stephanie Norlander |
Forward |
North Vancouver, BC |
26 |
|
Thea Culley* |
Forward |
Rossland, BC |
136 |
*Vice-Captain
**Captain
STAFF – WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – 2015 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
Head Coach – Ian Rutledge (Orange, WSA, Australia)
Assistant Coach – Stephanie Andrews (Perth, WA, Australia)
Team Manager – Carrie Trumpy (Victoria, BC)
Video Analyst – Stefanie Sloboda (Winnipeg, MB)
Physiotherapist – Elliot Usher (Vancouver, BC)
Athletic Therapist – Michelle Meckling (Kelowna, BC)
Team Doctor – Dr. Navin Prasad (Vancouver, BC)
CANADIAN WOMEN’S TECHNICAL OFFICIALS – 2015 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
Assistant Umpire Manager – Wendy Stewart
Communication’s Officer – Ali Lee
Judge – Laurie Hogan
Technical Officer – Tony Stewart
Umpire – Megan McLennan
Umpire – Megan Robertson
