Two current and one former member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team will compete for Canada at the 2019 Winter Universiade.
2018-19 Canada West first team all-star Leah Bohlken will be joined by teammate Jessica Vance, who was the conference MVP in 2017-18. Also donning the red and white will be 2017-18 captain Kaitlin Willoughby who used up her U SPORTS eligibility last season and now plays for the Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.
The two squads bring Canada’s total delegation heading to Krasnoyarsk, Russia to 121, joining the first five teams and 45 athletes announced last month for the Mar.2-12 World University Games. Both teams are exclusively composed of U SPORTS student-athletes and are being managed by the national office. Among the group, seven players have competed for the U SPORTS All-Stars either against Hockey Canada’s World Junior Prospects in December or the National Women’s Development Team at the annual Summer Showcase in August. Three of the seven former U SPORTS All-Stars have also suited up at a previous FISU Winter Universiade.
Behind the bench, Kevin Hamlin of the Windsor Lancers has been named head coach of the men’s team, joined by Richard Lim of the RMC Paladins, and Michael Sirant and Devin Himpe of the Manitoba Bisons as assistants.
On the women’s side, Stacey Colarossi, head coach of the Laurentian Voyageurs, returns as bench boss following two consecutive years at the helm of the U SPORTS Women’s Hockey All-Stars at the Hockey Canada Summer Showcase. Colarossi will be joined by fellow Summer Showcase staff Terry Rhindress of the Mount Allison Mounties and Greg Bowles of the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Ottawa assistant Chelsea Grills rounds out the bench staff and will serve as Team Leader.
“We have worked diligently to put together a group of athletes who we feel will positively represent all conferences across the country,” said Colarossi. “Myself and our staff are looking forward to representing USPORTS and Canadian university hockey.”
A total of 12 teams will vie for gold in the men’s competition, while six will compete in the women’s tournament. The Canadian men will open play on Saturday Mar. 2 12:30 a.m. ET / 9:30 p.m. PT, Friday, Mar. 1 (12:30 p.m. local time on Mar. 2) against Great Britain, with Latvia, Switzerland, Sweden, and Kazakhstan making up the rest of the group. The second group includes Hungary, Japan, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia and the United States.
“It’s an honour to represent Canada and I’m looking forward to the experience of competing against others from around the world,” said Hamlin. “Our team is assembled with student-athletes and coaches from coast to coast. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m confident all participants will make Canada proud.”
In the women’s tournament, Canada begins its title quest against China at on Mar. 1 at 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (4 p.m. local time), with additional games scheduled against Japan, China, Switzerland, Russia and the U.S.
Canada won three medals at the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade, including a silver medal in women’s hockey and a bronze in men’s hockey. Canada has reached the podium in 20 of 21 appearances in ice hockey overall, including seven gold medals, since a men’s team debuted in 1968 and the inaugural women’s tournament in 2009. Full Team Canada medal history at the FISU Winter Universiade is available here.
Alberta curling alumna Danielle Schmiemann will carry the Canadian flag into the Opening Ceremony on Mar. 2 at the Platinum Arena, beginning at 8:19 a.m. ET / 5:19 a.m. PT (8:19 p.m. local time). Full schedule is available here.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY ROSTER
| First Name | Last Name | School | Hometown | Elig. | HT | Program |
| Goaltenders | ||||||
| Maude | Lévesque-Ryan | Ottawa | Rimouski, Que. | 5 | 5-8 | Health Science |
| Jessica | Vance | Saskatchewan | Prince Albert, Sask. | 3 | 5-7 | Kinesiology |
| Defence | ||||||
| Leah | Bohlken | Saskatchewan | Moose Jaw, Sask. | 4 | 5-6 | Arts & Science |
| Christine | Deaudelin | Ottawa | Beloeil, Que. | 2 | 5-6 | Criminology |
| Annabel | Faubert | Montreal*** | Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, Que. | – | 5-5 | Physical Education |
| Jodi | Gentile | Lethbridge | Richmond, B.C. | 5 | 5-6 | Education |
| Cassandra | Labrie | Moncton | Cole Harbour, N.S. | 5 | 5-4 | Mechanical Eng. |
| Natalie | Stanwood | Dalhousie | West Vancouver, B.C. | 4 | 5-4 | Management |
| Marie-Camille | Théorêt | Ottawa*** | Magog, Que. | – | 5-6 | Psychology |
| Forwards | ||||||
| Abby | Beale | Mount Allison | Sackville, N.B. | 1 | 5-6 | Arts |
| Annie | Berg | Brock | Beamsville, Ont. | 3 | 5-9 | Kinesiology |
| Mélodie | Bouchard** | Ottawa | Sept-Iles, Qué. | 4 | 5-4 | Social Science |
| Ailish | Forfar* | Ryerson | Sharon, Ont. | – | 5-6 | RTA: Sport Media |
| Morgan | McCann | Laurentian | Parkhill, Ont. | 4 | 5-8 | Sports Admin. |
| Kassidy | Nauboris | UOIT | Brampton, Ont. | 5 | 5-4 | Kinesiology |
| Lauren | Straatman | Toronto | Thorndale, Ont. | 5 | 5-2 | Kinesiology |
| Tricia | Van Vaerenbergh | Lethbridge | Picture Butte, Alta. | 4 | 5-5 | Health Science |
| Katryne | Villeneuve* | Moncton | Casselman, Ont. | 5 | 5-5 | Leisure Management, Sport & Tourism |
| Taylor | Weber | Laurentian | Mount Forest, Ont. | 5 | 5-5 | Sport & Phys. Ed. |
| Kaitlin | Willoughby** | Saskatchewan | Prince Albert, Sask. | – | 5-5 | Nursing |
Head Coach: Stacey Colarossi, Laurentian*
Assistant Coach: Terry Rhindress, Mount Allison*
Assistant Coach / Team Leader: Chelsea Grills, Ottawa
Assistant Coach: Greg Bowles, Ottawa*
Athletic Therapist: Christina Kowalenko, Concordia
Equipment Manager: Sydney Brown
*Former U SPORTS All-Star
**Returning from the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade and former U SPORTS All-Star
***Faubert and Théorêt have committed for the 2019-20 season, and are currently playing for John Abbott College and Collège Champlain, respectively
Note: Former U SPORTS All-Stars Ailish Forfar and Kaitlin Willoughby have completed their
U SPORTS eligibility, and play for Markham and Calgary in the CWHL, respectively
