(LEFT TO RIGHT: Whitney Genoway, Jenna
Crook)
MONTREAL - Whitney Genoway and Jenna
Crook, a pair of McGill University students from Regina,
are among 13 athletes selected by Water Polo Canada to compete for
a CIS national team at the 26th Summer Universiade in August in
Shenzhen, China.
Genoway, who will serve as team captain at the upcoming Games,
has been a long time member of the national squad. She won gold at
the 2003 world junior championship in Calgary and silver at both,
the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2009 FINA world
championships in Rome.
Crook, a guard, was also a silver medalist at the 2009 worlds in
Rome. She is a science senior at McGill.
No less than seven of the 13 players selected are returnees from
the squad that finished fourth in 2009, when the sport made its
Universiade debut in Serbia.
The veterans from 2009 include goaltender Serena Bredin of
Winnipeg (University of Hawaii at Manoa), guards Jacqueline Kohli
of Burnaby, B.C. (Indiana), Joannie Morisseau of Montreal (UQAM)
and the aforementioned Crook, plus drivers Monika Eggens of Pitt
Meadows, B.C. (Hawaii at Manoa) and Candice Phillippe of West
Vancouver (Arizona State), as well as centre-forward Aicha
Bouharira of Brossard, Que. (Rosemont College).
Rounding out the 2011 selection is goalie Marissa Janssens of
Beaconsfield, Que. (Concordia), drivers Sophie Baron La Salle of
Montreal (Rosemont College), Elise Martin of Calgary (Pacific) and
Genoway, as well as centre-forwards Julie Bélanger of Montreal
(University of Montreal) and Carmen Eggens of Pitt Meadows (Hawaii
at Manoa).
Alyssa Birch of Calgary (California Baptist) has been chosen as
an alternate.
"Team Canada is vying to bring home its first FISU medal after a
fourth-place result in 2009," said Canadian head coach Heather
Kaulbach, a former national team player who acted as assistant
coach and team leader at the FISU Summer Games in Belgrade. "It
will be a competitive event, with possibly five of the nine teams
all capable of winning the banner."
Canada will compete in Pool A in the preliminary round against
Great Britain (Aug. 12), Italy (Aug. 14), as well as defending
champion and tournament host China (Aug. 16). The gold medal final
is scheduled for Aug. 22.
The Chinese outscored the Canadians 16-7 in the 2009 semi-finals
before defeating Hungary 12-8 in the championship match.
Pool B is made up of Russia, Australia, France, Mexico and the
USA, the reigning FINA world champions. The Russians beat Canada
10-8 in the 2009 bronze medal game.
Rounding out Canada's personnel in China will be assistant coach
Brooke Zimmerman and physiotherapist Catherine Lamothe.
Another Canadian will also be part of the women's water polo
tournament in China as William MacKay, an international FINA
referee, will make his second straight Universiade appearance.
TEAM CANADA ROSTER
Position
Name
School
Hometown
Goalie
Serena
Bredin
U of Hawaii at Manoa Winnipeg, Man.
Goalie
Marissa
Janssens Concordia
Beaconsfield, Que.
2-metre
guard
Jenna
Crook
McGill
Regina, Sask.
2-metre
guard
Jacqueline
Kohli
Indiana
Burnaby, B.C.
2-metre
guard
Joannie Morisseau
UQAM
Montreal, Que.
Driver
Sophie Baron La Salle Rosemont
College Montreal,
Que.
Driver
Monika
Eggens
U of Hawaii at Manoa Pitt Meadows, B.C.
Driver
Whitney Genoway
McGill
Regina, Sask.
Driver
Elise
Martin
U of the
Pacific
Calgary, Alta.
Driver
Candice Phillippe
Arizona
State
West Vancouver, B.C.
Center
forward
Julie
Bélanger
Montreal
Montreal, Que.
Center
forward
Aicha
Bouharira
Rosemont College
Brossard, Que.
Center
forward
Carmen
Eggens
U of Hawaii at Manoa Pitt Meadows, B.C.
Alternate:
Utility
Alyssa
Birch
California Baptist U Calgary, Alta.
STAFF
Position
Name
School
Hometown
Head
coach
Heather Kaulbach
Dalhousie
U
Halifax, N.S.
Assistant
coach
Brooke Zimmerman U of
Calgary
Regina, Sask.
Physiotherapist
Catherine Lamothe U of
Ottawa
Gatineau, Que.
UNIVERSIADE POOLS & SCHEDULE:
Pool A: China, CANADA, Great
Britain, Italy
Pool B: Russia, Australia, France, Mexico,
USA
Aug.
12
Canada vs. Great Britain
Aug.
14
Canada vs. Italy
Aug.
16
Canada vs. China
Aug.
18
Quarter-finals
Aug.
20
Semi-finals
Aug.
22
Bronze & Final
About the Summer Universiade
The Summer Universiade, also known as the FISU Games, 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.
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca
(mobile website)
www.mcgill.ca/athletics
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
