UPDATE: A previous version of this article listed Thora Rae as a part of the touring roster. She has now been replaced on the touring team by Natalie Sourisseau.
Canada’s women’s field hockey team is set to continue a busy year when it heads to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for four games against India and the United States next week.
Beginning July 22nd, Canada will play three straight matches against 13th ranked India, followed by a match against Pan American rival, the 5th ranked United States.
The twenty athletes headed to Lancaster are led by captain Kate Gillis, who leads all women on tour in international matches played with 155. Danielle Hennig and Karli Johansen, who have played in 119 and 68 caps respectively, have been designated as vice-captains for the series.
The touring team also features five athletes who have played in 10 or less senior matches, which continues a recent trend of junior athletes being given an opportunity to test themselves at the senior level.
In India and the U.S., Canada faces two Olympic-bound teams that are in their final stages of preparation for the Rio 2016 Games.
At the conclusion of the four matches, the 18th ranked Canadian Women’s National Team will have played 20 matches in the calendar year, all against teams higher in the world rankings and headed to the 2016 Olympics.
Canada’s women continue to prepare for World League Round 2, which will be hosted in the Vancouver, British Columbia area next spring and begins 2018 Women’s World Cup qualification.
The women began the year in San Diego for four matches against the U.S., before heading to the Hawke’s Bay Cup in New Zealand, and most recently played a four-game set against Japan in Japan.
Touring Roster
Name Position Hometown Caps
Kaitlyn Williams Goalkeeper White Rock, BC 82
Rowan Harris Goalkeeper Ottawa, ON 10
Sara McManus Defender Tsawwaassen, BC 108
Karli Johansen Defender North Vancouver, BC 68
Danielle Hennig Defender Kelowna, BC 119
Shanlee Johnston Defender Vancouver, BC 48
Shannon Pereira Defender Toronto, ON 3
Rosie Beale Defender Victoria, BC 11
Kathleen Leahy Midfielder Victoria, BC 33
Kate Gillis Midfielder Kingston, ON 155
Maddie Secco Midfielder Victoria, BC 76
Hannah Haughn Midfielder North Vancouver, BC 114
Brienne Stairs Midfielder Kitchener, ON 100
Amanda Woodcroft Midifielder Waterloo, ON 51
Alex Thicke Forward Vancouver, BC 25
Nikki Woodcroft Forward Waterloo, ON 6
Steph Norlander Forward North Vancouver, BC 48
Holly Stewart Forward North Vancouver, BC 49
Alexis de Armond Defender Victoria, BC 6
Natalie Sourisseau Midfielder Kelowna, BC 98
Touring Staff
Head Coach: Ian Rutledge
Assistant Coach: Steph Andrews
Manager: Nancy Mollenhauer
Video Analyst: Stef Sloboda
Athletic Therapist: Rachelle O’Brien
