January 6, 2017

Canada sends delegation of 122 to FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty

TORONTO (U SPORTS) – U SPORTS International announced Friday its 122-member delegation for the 2017 Winter Universiade, set for Jan. 29 – Feb. 8 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The 122 Canadians includes 88 student-athletes and 34 mission and support staff in six sports – biathlon, cross country skiing, alpine skiing, snowboard, along with men’s and women’s teams in the U SPORTS championship offerings of hockey and curling.

“We’re excited to compete in Kazakhstan,” said chef de mission Ari Grossman. “The mission staff have been working with the Organizing Committee to make sure that we have a great experience for our student-athletes.

“From the competition venues to the athletes’ village, everything is ready for what will be an outstanding games in Almaty. We’re excited to get there and compete.”

At the 2015 Winter Universiade in Granada, Spain, Canada won five medals, including bronze in alpine skiing, short-track speed skating and men’s hockey, and a pair of silvers in women’s curling and women’s hockey.

Canada will begin competition in women’s hockey on Jan. 28 against China at 4:30 pm local time (5:30 am ET), while the men’s hockey team – made up of OUA players and staff as per the U SPORTS conference rotation – faces off Jan. 30 against USA at 7:30 pm local (8:30 am ET). Curling, alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboard will also begin on Jan. 30, with biathlon starting on Jan. 31.

Since the U SPORTS conference rotation began in 1997, Canada has reached the podium in men’s hockey all but once, winning a pair of gold and silver medals to go along with five bronze. In women’s hockey, the Canadians took home gold in each of the first three tournaments dating back to 2009, before winning silver in 2015. Canada has also been a force in curling at the Winter Universiade, capturing four medals in the women’s competition (one gold, three silver) and two medals in the men’s event (one gold, one bronze).

In snow sports, sisters Abby and Emma Van Groningen from the University of Guelph, along with Ryerson’s Jennifer Hawkrigg, are all members of the national alpine snowboarding development group.

The Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Winter Universiade will be held on Jan. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET) from the Almaty Arena, which also serves as the ice hockey venue.

Canadian fans can livestream the action from the 2017 Winter Universiade at liveFISU.TV.

For the full Almaty 2017 Canadian delegation listed by sport, click here.

Team Canada website: http://en.cis-sic.ca/universiade/winter/2017/index

Almaty 2017 website: www.almaty2017.com

Almaty 2017 schedule: http://en.cis-sic.ca/universiade/winter/2017/files/16.11.03_WU2017-Timetable-of-Competition-Schedule.pdf

CANADIAN DELEGATION: 2017 WINTER UNIVERSIADE

Mission Staff

Chef de Mission: Ari Grossman*, University of Waterloo (Toronto, Ont.)

Assistant Chef de Mission: Lia Taha Cheng*, U SPORTS (Ottawa, Ont.)

Communications Manager: Michel Bélanger* (Quebec City, Que.)

Communications Officer: Marc Bartschat (Montreal, Que.)

Operations Coordinator: Dominique Massie-Martel*, U SPORTS (Montreal, Que.)

Chief Medical Officer: Lee Schofield*, University of Toronto (Wallaceburg, Ont.)

Chief Therapist: Jason White* (Gander, N.L.)

Physician: Erika Persson*, University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alta.)

Therapist: Connie Klassen*, Camosun College (Winnipeg, Man.)

Therapist: Renaud Geneviève (Halifax, N.S.)

Alpine Skiing

Name	Hometown	School
Adrienne Poitras	Montreal, Que.	University of Montreal
Marie Desrosiers	L'assomption, Que.	Polytechnique School of Montreal
Frederique Nolin	Quebec, Que.	Laval University
Sandrine David*	Montreal, Que.	University of Montreal
Hannah Schmidt	Dunrobin, Ont.	Carleton University
Vincent Lajoie*	Montreal, Que.	University of Montreal
Justin Beaurivage	Victoriaville, Que.	Polytechnique School of Montreal
Simon-Claude Toutant*	Joliette, Que.	Laval University
Philippe Rivet*	Saint-Lambert, Que.	University of New Hampshire
William Schuessler Bedard*	Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.	University of Montreal
Gabriel Mains*	Montreal, Que.	University of Montreal
William Mercier Robin	Quebec City, Que.	Laval University

Team Leader: Ève Routhier*, Laval University (Sherbrooke, Que)

Coach: Michel Huot, University of Montreal (Sainte Therese, Que.)

Biathlon

Name	Hometown	School
Jessica Paterson*	St. Albert, Alta.	University of Alberta
Sasha Eccleston*	Hinton, Alta.	University of Alberta
Reagan Mills*	Truro, N.S.	University of Prince Edward Island
Seamus Boyd-Porter	St. John’s, N.L.	Memorial University
Evaline Juce	Hamiota, Man.	University of Alberta
Taij Mann	Edmonton, Alta.	MacEwan University

Team Leader: Lowell Niven*, University of Alberta-Augustana (Camrose, Alta.)

Technician: Lahav Wolach (Calgary, Alta.)

Curling

Name	Hometown	School
Taylor McDonald	Edmonton, Alta	University of Alberta
Kelsey Rocque	Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.	University of Alberta
Danielle Schmeimann	Stony Plain, Alta.	University of Alberta
Taylore Theroux	Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.	University of Alberta
Russell Cuddie	London, Ont.	Wilfrid Laurier University
Richard Krell	London, Ont.	Wilfrid Laurier University
Spencer Nuttall	Toronto, Ont.	Wilfrid Laurier University
Fraser Reid	Ancaster, Ont.	Wilfrid Laurier University
Aaron Squires	St. Thomas, Ont.	Wilfrid Laurier University

Women’s Coach: Garry Coderre*, University of Alberta (St. Albert, Alta.)

Men’s Coach: Jim Waite (St. Thomas, Ont.)

Cross Country Skiing

Name	Hometown	School
Jordan Cascagnette*	Pentetanguishene, Ont.	Nipissing University
Emma Camicioli	Edmonton Alta.	University of Calgary
Shelby Dickey	Collingwood, Ont.	Nipissing University
William Dumas	Gatineau, Que.	Laval University
Alexis Morin	Victoriaville, Que.	Laval University
Christel Pichard-Jolicoeur	Saint- Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.	Laval University
Carrington Pomeroy	Chelsea, Que.	Carleton University
Gavin Shields	Thunder Bay, Ont.	Lakehead University
Andrée-Anne Théberge	Levis, Que.	Laval University
Connor Thompson	Montreal, Que.	Laval University
Kyla Vanderzwet	Port Elgin, Ont.	Western University

Team Leader: Katja Mathys (McKellar, Ont.)

Head Coach: Toivo Koivukoski*, Nipissing University (North Bay, Ont.)

Assistant Coach: Mary Waddell* (Sudbury, Ont.)

Technician: Kirk Potter* (Whitehorse, Y.T.)

Men’s Hockey

Name	Hometown	School
Kevin Bailie	Belleville, Ont.	Queen’s University
Sebastian Auger	Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Mike Moffat	Waterloo, Ont.	University of Waterloo
Nathan Chiarlitti	Maple, Ont.	McGill University
Charles-David Beaudoin	Drummondville, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Spencer Abraham	Campbellville, Ont.	Queen’s University
Etienne Boutet	Quebec City, Que.	McGill University
Martin Lefebvre	Terrebonne, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Alex Basso	Toronto, Ont.	Ryerson University
Scott Simmonds	Uxbridge, Ont.	University of Guelph
Guillaume Asselin	Quebec City, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Michael McNamee	Perth, Ont.	Carleton University
Ryan Van Stralen	Prescott, Ont.	Carleton University
Mathieu Pompei	Laval, Que.	McGill University
Corey Durocher	Ottawa, Ont.	Carleton University
Olivier Hinse	Sherbrooke, Que.	Concordia University
Pierre-Olivier Morin	Trois-Rivières, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Brent Pederson	Arthur, Ont.	Laurentian University
Tommy Giroux	Quebec City, Que.	Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Slater Doggett	Oakville, Ont.	Queen’s University
Brett Welychka	London, Ont.	Carleton University
Eric Ming	Williamstown, Ont.	Queen’s University

Head Coach / Team Leader: Brett Gibson, Queen’s University (Gananoque, Ont.)

General Manger / Associate Coach: Brian Bourque, University of Waterloo (Cole Harbour, N.S.)

Assistant Coach: Craig Duncanson, Laurentian University (Walden, Ont.)

Assistant Coach: Marty Johnston, Carleton University (Gloucester, Ont.)

Athletic Therapist: James Sawchuk*, Queen’s University (Winnipeg, Man.)

Equipment Manager: Trevor Black, University of Waterloo (Markdale, Ont.)

Women’s Hockey

Name	Hometown	School
Valerie Lamenta	Montreal, Que.	University of Guelph
Stephanie Sluys	Clinton, Ont.	University of Waterloo
Katherine Bailey	Lucan, Ont.	University of Guelph
Katelyn Gosling*	London, Ont	Western University
Brianna Iazzolino	Thunder Bay, Ont.	Western University
Maude Laramée	Gatineau, Que.	University of Montreal
Alexis Larson	Weyburn, Sask.	University of Regina
Kelly Murray	Medicine Hat, Alta.	University of British Columbia
Erica Rieder	Regina, Sask.	University of Manitoba
Kelty Apperson	New Hamburg, Ont.	St. Thomas University
Mélodie Bouchard	Sept-Iles, Que.	University of Ottawa
Jessica Cormier	Cap-aux-Meules, Que.	University of Montreal
Catherine Dubois	Charlesbourg, Que.	University of Montreal
Kylie Gavelin	Mankota, Sask.	University of Regina
Kelly Gribbons	Port Elgin, Ont.	University of Guelph
Alexandra Labelle	Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.	University of Montreal
Jaycee Magwood	Killarney, Man.	University of Regina
Rachel Marriott	Waterloo, Ont.	University of Waterloo
Daley Oddy*	Cranbrook, B.C.	St. Francis Xavier University
Alex Poznikoff	Edmonton, Alta.	University of Alberta
Alanna Sharman	Winnipeg, Man.	University of Manitoba
Kaitlin Willoughby	Prince Albert, Sask.	University of Saskatchewan

Team Leader/Video Coach: Rick Traugott (Toronto, Ont.)

Head Coach: Rachel Flanagan, University of Guelph (Oshawa, Ont.)

Assistant Coach: Kelly Paton, Western University (Woodstock, Ont.)

Assistant Coach: Howie Draper*, University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alta.)

Equipment Manager: Jean Huynh*, McGill University (Montreal, Que.)

Therapist: Natalie Paladino, University of Windsor (Hamilton, Ont.)

Snowboarding

Name	Hometown	School
Mackenzie Hamilton	Carlisle, Ont.	McGill University
Emma Van Groningen	Cambridge, Ont.	University of Guelph
Abby Van Groningen	Cambridge, Ont.	University of Guelph
Jennifer Hawkrigg	Toronto, Ont.	Ryerson University
Austin White	Oyama, B.C.	UBC Okanagan
Andrew Hildebrand	Toronto, Ont.	Western University