International News

Alberta Pandas curling alumna Danielle Schmiemann has been named Canada’s flag bearer for the 2019 FISU Winter Universiade.

Schmiemann, who will lead Canada into the Opening Ceremony, headlines the first 62 members of the delegation announced Thursday, set to compete Mar. 2-12 in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. At the last Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Schmiemann helped her Alberta rink win Canada’s only gold medal of the Games.

“I am extremely honoured to have been selected to represent not only curling, but our entire Canadian Delegation at the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 FISU Winter Universiade,” said Schmiemann, who won a U SPORTS championship with the Pandas last season and competes on the World Curling Tour with 2017 flag bearer and former University of Alberta teammate Kelsey Rocque. “Earning the opportunity to wear the maple leaf on your back is always a dream come true, and being able to carry the flag for Canada gives me a great amount of pride and excitement for the upcoming Games.”

The preliminary delegation includes the Canadian teams in five sports, including alpine and cross country skiing, biathlon, curling and snowboard. All five teams are selected and managed in partnership with each respective National Sport Organization (NSO).

The Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams – which will be exclusively composed of U SPORTS student-athletes – will be announced at a later date, following the initial rounds of the conference playoffs, which overlap with this year’s FISU Winter Universiade.

“This is a watershed moment for those who have received a nomination today and a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said Roger Archambault, who was selected as Team Canada Chef de Mission for the 2019 FISU Winter Universiade last September and has served as the Assistant Athletic Director, High Performance with the Ottawa Gee-Gees, as well as the Manager of Team Services with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) at Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. “Representing Canada on the world stage is a rare opportunity, together as one team, our student-athletes, coaches, and mission staff will carry the Canadian flag with pride as we compete against the world on this one of a kind sports stage. I am already very proud of this group.”

Canada won three medals at the 2017 FISU Winter Universiade, including gold in women’s curling, a silver medal in women’s hockey and a bronze in men’s hockey. Full Team Canada medal history at the FISU Winter Universiade is available here.

The Opening Ceremony of the 2019 FISU Winter Universiade will be held 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.

“We are extremely proud of every student-athlete and staff member representing Team Canada at the 2019 FISU Winter Universiade,” said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sport Officer at U SPORTS. “The FISU Games are the Olympics of University Sport. So many memories are made on and off the field of play for our Canadian student-athletes, who are unique in that they balance academics with athletics, and they deserve the chance to wear the maple leaf. We are looking forward to supporting all of our teams as they go for gold in Russia this winter.”

To support Team Canada through the Be a Game Changer RallyMe fundraising campaign click here.

Follow Team Canada on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @USPORTSIntl

MISSION STAFF

First Last POSITION AFFILIATION HOMETOWN
Roger Archambault Chef de Mission Ottawa Gee-Gees Gatineau, Que.
Charonne Thomasos Assistant Chef de Mission U SPORTS Toronto, Ont.
Lia Taha Cheng Operations Manager Royal Canadian Legion Ottawa, Ont.
Chris Zuk Communications Manager University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Man.
Daniela Passarelli Communications Coordinator Belleville Senators Montreal, Que.
Lee Schofield  Chief Medical Officer Toronto Varsity Blues Wallaceburg, Ont.
Connie  Klassen Chief Therapist Camosun College Winnipeg, Man.
Nadine Smith Medical Core Carleton Ravens Ottawa, Ont.
Amandev Aulakh Medical Core - Oakville, Ont.
Mireille  Landry Medical Core University of Toronto Toronto, Ont.

 

ALPINE SKIING

First Last School Hometown Program
Félix Blanchard Montreal Montreal, Que. Management
Alexandre Fortin Laval Quebec City, Que. Qualifying Courses
Jean Christopher-Allard Laval Drummondville, Que. Geomatics Engineering
Adrienne Poitras Montreal Montreal, Que. Medicine
Laurence Huot Montreal Montreal, Que. International Studies
Marie Desrosiers Montreal Montreal, Que. Geological Engineering
Sabrina Cormier Montreal Montreal, Que. Kinesiology
Mikaela O'Brien Dartmouth Montreal, Que. Engineering Sciences
Abigail Thomas McGill Ottawa, Ont. Kinesiology

Head coach: Michel Huot, Montreal (Montreal, Que.)

BIATHLON

First Last School Hometown Program
Matthew Hudec Regina North Battleford, Sask. Actuarial Science
Mathis Roth Volkshochschule Ulm
(Germany)
Chelsea, Que. General Studies
Anne Mirejovsky Alberta Camrose, Alta. Psychology
Piaper Veinotte Cegep Heritage College Ottawa, Ont. Science
Tayla Koerber Alberta- Augustana Revelstoke, B.C. Kinesiology & Psychology
Mzia Lee Pottie  McGill Ottawa, Ont. Psychology & Neuroscience

Head Coach: Allie Dickson (Burns Lake, B.C.)
Technician: Lahav Wolach (Kibbutz Or-Haner, Israel)

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

First Last School Hometown Program
Aaron Fahey Laval Ottawa, Ont. PhD in Medicine
Aidan Kirkham Carleton Kanata, Ont. Environmental Science
Alexander Maycock Nipissing Orangeville, Ont. Physical & Health Ed.
David Walker Victoria Kelowna, B.C. Mechanical Engineering
Gavin Shields Lakehead Kitchener, Ont. Indigenous Learning & Philosophy
Matjaz Cigler Alberta Toronto, Ont. Civil Engineering
Alexandra Slobodian Carleton Stittsville, Ont. Criminology & Criminal Justice
Camille Hamm Lakehead Thunder Bay, Ont. Nursing
Ember Large MacEwan Edmonton, Alta. Social Work
Freya Hik Alberta Toronto, Ont. Materials Engineering
Katherine Denis Ottawa New Liskeard, Ont. Human Kinetics
Marianne Scherrer Laval Quebec City, Que. Product Design

Team Leader: Katja Mathys (McKellar, Ont.)
Head Coach: Bryan Dubeau (Owen Sound, Ont.)
Assistant Coach: Mary Waddell (Sudbury, Ont.)
Technician: Kirk Potter (Whitehorse, Y.T.)

CURLING

First Last School Hometown Program
Christopher Kennedy Alberta Edmonton, Alta. Kinesiology, Sport & Rec.
Glenn Venance Alberta Kitscoty, Alta. Education
Karsten Sturmay Alberta Leduc, Alta. Science
Tristan Steinke Alberta Dawson Creek, B.C. Education
Danielle Schmiemann* Alberta Stony Plain, Alta. Kinesiology, Sport & Rec.
Jessica Iles Alberta The Pas, Man. Business
Kristen Streifel Alberta Clavet, Sask. Kinesiology, Sport & Rec.
Paige Papley Alberta Beaumont, Alta. Open Studies
Selena Sturmay Alberta Leduc, Alta. Nursing

*Flag bearer

Head Coach: Robert Krepps, Alberta (Edmonton, Alta.)
Associate Coach: Garry Coderre, Alberta (Forget, Sask.)
Team Official: Jason Ginter, Alberta (Dawson Creek, B.C.)

SNOWBOARD

First Last School Hometown Program
Richard Moss Guelph Toronto, Ont. Mechanical Engineering
Corey Farber Western Richmond Hill, Ont. Criminology
Austin White UBC Okanagan Oyama, B.C. Human Kinetics
Stuart Gunn Calgary Calgary, Alta. Economics
Alexandre Cadieux Ottawa Ottawa, Ont. Environmental Studies
Will Malisch Western Markham, Ont. Business
Audrey McManiman Laval  Saint-Ambroise-de-Kildare, Que. Kinesiology
Fanny Girardin Laval St-basile-le-grand, Que. Psychology
Brooke Lacey Thompson Rivers Fort McMurray, Alta. Business Admin.

Team Leader: Cassandra Smith (Ottawa, Ont.)
Head Coach: Andrew Manuel (Banff, Alta.)