Dinos
June 27, 2007
NEWS RELEASE
Dinos' Hunter headed to Bangkok
OTTAWA (CIS) - Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Wednesday
the athletes that will represent Canada in women’s soccer at the 2007
Summer Universiade in Bangkok, Thailand (August 8-18). The 19-member
squad will be looking to top its fifth-place finish at the 2005
Universiade in Izmir, Turkey.
The University of Calgary Dinos will be represented by defender Renae
Hunter, a Calgary native who has just completed her final year of CIS
eligibility. She was named a first team Canada West all-star in each
of her final two seasons and a key reason the Dinos allowed only 10
goals in 14 games, including seven shutout victories.
Calgary coach Robin Slot was thrilled with the announcement.
“This is a very deserving selection,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier for
Renae. She is a high quality player and will certainly be an asset to
Team Canada.”
The women’s soccer competition starts August 7 with Canada’s opening
round game against South Africa. Canada’s pool also includes 2005
silver medallist and 2003 bronze medallist China along with Great Britain.
Reigning CIS championship MVP Amy Bobb (Vancouver) and UBC Thunderbird
teammate Anja Sigloch (Kamloops) will lead the way for the Canadian team.
With 13 players in their fourth or fifth year of CIS eligibility, the
veteran squad features plenty of leadership and experience. Bobb and
Sigloch will be joined by 2006 CIS player of the year Eilish McConville (Ottawa)
of Queen’s University, 2005 CIS championship MVP
Carey Gustafson (Victoria) of the University of Victoria and 2005 CIS
rookie of the year Émilie Mercier (Longueuil, Que.) from the
University of Montreal. Laval’s Marie-Pier Bilodeau (Beauport, Que.)
and Francine Brousseau (Québec City) as well as Montreal’s Sandra
Couture (Trois-Rivières) return from the 2005 squad.
“We are really happy with our selections,” said University of Ottawa’s
Steve Johnson, who will be returning as head coach. “We have put
together a team that includes the top performers in Canadian
university soccer, a couple who have previous Universiade experience
from the last games, as well as several players who have International
experience with our National Team Programs.”
”Our expectations are high, and we want to equal or better our results
from Izmir where we had our best ever finish. Our group stage is
difficult, but if we can get out of our pool we will have a chance at
a medal.”
Canada West sends a conference-high eight players to the team.
Gustafson will be joined by Victoria teammate Liz Hanson (Cortes
Island, B.C.) as well as Carlee O’Brien (Nanaimo) of Trinity Western
and the University of Manitoba’s Desiree Scott (Winnipeg).
O’Brien led Canada West in scoring with 14 goals in 2006. Natalie Swain (Fort
McMurray, Alta.) of the University of Alberta and Hunter round out the
Canada West selections.
McConville leads an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) contingent that
includes Wendy Donaldson (Ottawa), Alex Perischino (Thunder Bay) and
Katarina Vulic (Oakville) of the CIS bronze medallist Ottawa Gee-Gees
and Cara Smith (Sudbury) of Laurentian University.
Atlantic University Sport (AUS) will send Laura Breen (St. John’s)
from Memorial University and Dalhousie University’s leading scorer,
Leanne Huck (Hatchet Lake, N.S.).
Laval’s Caroline Vaillancourt (Quebec City) rounds out the players
representing the Quebec Student Sport Federation (QSSF).
“I think we have all the necessary parts to put together a very good
team,” said Johnson. “This year's team is certainly our best ever
representation of talent from across the country. Our attack has a lot
of different possibilities, with all the top performers from last
season included in the team. Defensively, we will need to work hard in
training camp to coordinate our efforts in a very short time.”
The team selection was finalized following three training camps hosted
across the country.
Media Contact:
Stéphanie Legault
Sports Information Officer
Team Canada 2007 Summer Universiade
Tel: (613) 933-6080 ext. 2211
Fax: (613) 937-1530
Email: stephanie@ccaa.ca
Kimberly Moser
Sports Information Manager
Team Canada
2007 Summer Universiade
Off: (416) 736-5982
kmoser@yorku.ca
Ben Matchett
Sports Information Director
University of Calgary Dinos
Phone: (403) 220-8143
Mobile: (403) 863-8143
Web: www.goDINOS.com