OTTAWA-Baseball Canada announced today the names of 20 athletes that will represent Canada at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in Gijang City, Korea from September 3-11.
The announcement comes following the conclusion of the Senior Women Invitational Championships in Red Deer, Alberta where British Columbia defeated Ontario in the gold medal contest.
“The coaching staff is very pleased with the make-up of our roster,” said Women’s National Team Manager André Lachance. “We’re fortunate that the majority of our players have Pan Am Games and World Cup experience and will know what to expect once we get to Korea. The veterans will be counted on as leaders for some of our younger players.
“Our expectation is to be very competitive once the tournament begins.”
Canada will open the 12-team tournament on September 3rd against World #1 ranked and defending world champions, Japan. Other opening round match-ups include India (September 4th) and the Netherlands (September 5th). Following the opening round, the top two teams in each of the three pools will advance to the super round that will determine bronze and gold medal match-ups.
The Women’s National Team program is coming off of a silver medal performance at the 2015 Pan American Games that took place in Toronto which was the first time that women’s baseball was a part of a major multi-sport games.
The program has won four medals all-time (1 silver, 3 bronze) in six Women’s World Cup events with the most recent, a bronze, in 2012.
In 2014, the last time a Women’s Baseball World Cup was help, Canada reached the bronze medal game but fell to Australia to finish fourth.
Women’s National Team Roster Highlights:
-The veteran club returns 14 players (Kelsey Lalor, Autumn Mills, Nicole Luckanski, Kate Psota, Heidi Northcott, Melissa Armstrong, Ashley Stephenson, Niki Boyd, Daniella Matteucci, Amanda Asay, Claire Eccles, Becky Hartley, Jennifer Gilroy and Jenna Flannigan) who won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games.
-Those 14 players along with Heather Healey, who was named to the roster, all have previous Women’s Baseball World Cup experience. Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson were a part of Team Canada at the first Women’s Baseball World Cup in 2004 and will each be participating in the event for the seventh time.
-Five players named to the squad (Daphnée Gelinas, Pascale Jalbert, Anne-Sophie Lavallée, Mia Valcke and Katie Hagen) will be participating in their first WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.
-The coaching staff features Manager André Lachance (Ottawa, ON) who returns for his seventh consecutive World Cup. Also returning from the Pan Am Games is Sheen Bromley (Edmonton, AB), while Patricia Landry (St-Étiene-des-Grés, QC) returns from the 2014 World Cup staff. Scott MacKenzie (Coquitlam, BC) joins the Women’s National Team coaching staff for the first time as does former big league pitcher and Canadian Olympian Aaron Myette (Surrey, BC) who will handle pitching coach duties.
Team Canada will depart for Gijang City on August 30th and begin preparations for the event upon arrival before opening the tournament against Japan on September 3rd.
All media inquiries can be directed towards WNT Press Officer, Adam Morissette- (media@baseball.ca).
Schedule - WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup
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Roster
Kelsey Lalor (Red Deer, AB)
Autumn Mills (London, ON)
Nicole Luchanski (Edmonton, AB)
Kate Psota (Burlington, ON)
Heidi Northcott (Rocky Mountain House, AB)
Melissa Armstrong (Saskatoon, SK)
Ashley Stephenson (Mississauga, ON)
Niki Boyd (Surrey, BC)
Daniella Matteucci (Fruitvale, BC)
Amanda Asay (Prince George, BC)
Claire Eccles (White Rock, BC)
Becky Hartley (Richmond, BC)
Heather Healey (Paradise, NL)
Daphnée Gélinas (Repentigny, QC)
Pascale Jalbert (St-Honoré, QC)
Anne-Sophie Lavallée (Boucherville, QC)
Mia Valcke (St. Marys, ON)
Katie Hagen (Dartmouth, NS)
Jennifer Gilroy (Mississauga, ON)
Jenna Flannigan (Cornwall, ON)
*Please note that players are asked to report to the Radisson Hotel in Red Deer tomorrow at 1pm local time.
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