Ottawa, ON – The roster of 11-athletes that will represent Canada at the upcoming Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia was announced on
Wednesday and Simon Fraser University women's basketball player
Erin Chambers (Mission, BC) was named to the team.
Canada is coming off a sixth-place finish at the 2011 tournament in Shenzhen, China, which marked the development national team's best result in a decade at the biennial competition. A pair of bronze medals in 1979 (Mexico City, Mexico) and 1991 (Sheffield, England) remain Canada's best-ever finish at the FISU Games.
In addition to Chambers, the lineup includes guards Rachelle Coward of Dartmouth, NS, Miah-Marie Langlois of Windsor, ON, Dianna Ros of Montreal, QC, Korissa Williams of Windsor, ON and Kris Young of North Vancouver, BC.
At forward, Canada has Lindsay Ledingham of Regina, SK and Kara Spotton of Belleville, ON; posts Taijah Campbell of Ajax, ON, and Tessa Kreiger of London, ON and post/forward Dalyce Emmerson of Prince Albert, SK.
Langlois and Ledingham are the only returning members from the 2011 Universiade squad. Williams and Young also have international experience as they helped Canada to fifth place at the 2011 FIBA under-19 world championship.
Chambers is coming off her sophomore season with the Clan, one that saw Simon Fraser University women's basketball program reach the 'Sweet 16' of the NCAA tournament.
"Our program has a history of players who have been fortunate enough to compete in the FISU Games," said Head Coach
Bruce Langford. "It will be a great experience for Erin. She is a tough defender and certainly is ready for the challenge of playing in this tournament."
During the 2012-13 season, Chambers led the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in free throw percentage at 90 percent, which was fourth in NCAA Division II, and was fourth in three point field goal percentage at 39 percent.
She was named the GNAC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13 and a second team conference all-star.
The team is training in Mississauga, ON until
June 30. More training and exhibition games will follow in Kezan from
July 2 to 7. The 16-team Universiade tournament is set for
July 8-15.
In the preliminary round, Canada will battle in Pool C against Japan (
July 8), Ukraine (
July 9) and Taiwan (
July 10), the silver medalists from 2011.
Japan finished 12th with a 1-5 record two years ago, while Ukraine did not compete at the event.
The other groups are made up of host Russia, Sweden, Poland and Mongolia in Pool A, the United States, Brazil, the Czech Republic and Belgium in Pool B, and Australia, Finland, China and Hungary in Pool D.
The USA are reigning two-time champions and have won three of the last four FISU tournaments. The Americans also lead the way with eight titles overall since the inaugural competition in 1961.
UNIVERSIADE POOLS & SCHEDULE:
Pool A: Russia, Sweden, Poland, Mongolia
Pool B: USA, Brazil, Czech Republic, Belgium
Pool C: Taiwan, CANADA, Japan, Ukraine
Pool D: Australia, Finland, China, Hungary
July 8: Canada vs. Japan
July 9: Canada vs. Ukraine
July 10: Canada vs. Taiwan
July 12: Quarter-finals
July 13: Semifinals
July 15: Final
CANADA'S ALL-TIME UNIVERSIADE RESULTS IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:
2011 Shenzhen, China: 6th / 15 teams (champions: USA)
2009 Belgrade, Serbia: 15th / 16 (champions: USA)
2007 Bangkok, Thailand: 7th / 16 (champions: Australia)
2005 Izmir, Turkey: 11th / 20 (champions: USA)
2003 Daegu, South Korea: 13th / 17 (champions: China)
2001 Beijing, China: 6th / 19 (champions: USA)
1999 Palma, Spain: 7th / 16 (champions: Spain)
1997 Sicily, Italy: 9th / 16 (champions: USA)
1995 Fukuoka, Japan: 7th / 16 (champions: Italy)
1993 Buffalo, USA: 14th / 15 (champions: China)
1991 Sheffield, England: 3rd / 16 (champions: USA)
1989 Duisburg, Germany: No tournament -
1987 Zagreb, Yugoslavia: 6th / 18 (champions: Yugoslavia)
1985 Kobe, Japan: 4th / 10 (champions: USSR)
1983 Edmonton, Canada: 6th / 11 (champions: USA)
1981 Bucharest, Romania: 6th / 17 (champions: USSR)
1979 Mexico City, Mexico: 3rd / 13 (champions: USA)
1977 Sofia, Bulgaria: 6th / 17 (champions: USSR)
1975 Rome, Italy: No tournament -
1973 Moscow, USSR: 10th / 16 (champions: USSR)
1970 Turin, Italy: Canada DNP (champions: USSR)
1967 Tokyo, Japan: Canada DNP (champions: South Korea)
1965 Budapest, Hungary: Canada DNP (champions: USSR)
1963 Porto Alegre, Brazil: No tournament -
1961 Sofia, Bulgaria: Canada DNP (champions: Bulgaria)
1959 Turin, Italy: No tournament -
DNP: Did not participate
About the Summer Universiade
The Summer Universiade is an international multi-sport event that takes place every two years and is second only to the Olympic Games in the number of participating athletes and countries. The Universiade is open to competitors who are at least 17 and less than 28 years of age as of
January 1 in the year of the Games. Participants must be full-time students at a post-secondary institution (university, college, CEGEP) or have graduated from a post-secondary institution in the year preceding the event.
About Canada Basketball
Canada Basketball is a private, not-for-profit corporation committed to excellence in leading the growth of the game domestically and in pursuing medal performances on the international stage. For more information, please visit
www.basketball.ca.
