Defending U SPORTS and OUA champion Gee-Gees to compete at inaugural FISU University World Cup – Football
TORONTO (U SPORTS) – With the women's soccer season officially kicking off this week, U SPORTS announced that the reigning national and OUA champion Ottawa Gee-Gees have been selected to compete in the inaugural FISU University World Cup – Football.
The Gee-Gees captured their second national title last season on home field, after going a combined 20-1-1 in the OUA regular season and post-season, as well as U SPORTS championship action.
The team is led by former U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian Katherine Bearne, along with national championship all-star Thea Nour. Both players gained international experience in July at the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy.
"This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our national championship team," said Sue Hylland, Director of Sports Services at the University of Ottawa. "We are very proud of everything the team has accomplished thus far, and have the utmost confidence they will be great representatives of our university, U SPORTS, and Canada as a whole."
Led by two-time U SPORTS Fox 40 Coach of the Year Steve Johnson, the Gee-Gees will be looking to impress the world in November.
"We're going there to win," said Johnson. "We're not looking at this as soccer tourism, we see this as an opportunity to showcase ourselves against the best in the world. We don't know exactly what to expect when we get over there, but we want to be as prepared as we can be for the opportunity."
The 2019 FISU University World Cup – Football brings together the top 24 teams (16 men, eight women) from around the world, each representing their respective universities. Formerly known as the FISU World University League, the initiative expanded to men's and women's soccer this year after launching exclusively in 3x3 basketball in 2015.
"We are excited to partner with uOttawa to showcase our women's soccer champions," said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sport Officer at U SPORTS. "This is an outstanding honour for our student-athletes to participate in a brand new FISU event amongst other university teams from around the world. We look forward to watching them compete on the international stage this fall."
The 2019 FISU University World Cup – Football runs Nov.21-Dec. 1 in Jinjiang, China.
The Gee-Gees open their OUA and U SPORTS title defence Saturday afternoon with a visit to the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks at 12 p.m.
TEAM ROSTER
|
First Name |
Last Name |
Pos. |
Elig. |
Hometown |
Program |
|
Katherine |
Bearne |
MF |
5 |
Halifax, N.S. |
Physics |
|
Soumaya |
Bouak |
F |
1 |
Newmarket, Ont. |
Psychology |
|
Sophie |
Curtis* |
F |
N/A |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Finance |
|
Kayla |
Da Costa-Pacheco* |
D |
N/A |
Gatineau, Que. |
Health Sciences |
|
Lauren |
Da Luz |
D |
4 |
Coquitlam, B.C. |
Civil Engineering |
|
Hillary |
Damman |
GK |
2 |
Roncq, France |
Social Sciences |
|
Katerine |
Delev |
MF |
3 |
Chelsea, Que. |
Management |
|
Adriane |
Devlin |
D |
1 |
Stouffville, Ont. |
Biomedical Science |
|
Gabrielle |
Emilien |
GK |
4 |
Toronto, Ont. |
Education |
|
Trinity |
Esprit |
D |
1 |
Scarborough, Ont. |
Sociology |
|
Veronique |
Filion |
F |
1 |
Rockland, Ont. |
Health Science |
|
Charlotte |
Gagnon-Lewis |
MF |
3 |
Montreal, Que. |
International Development and Globalization |
|
Angelina |
Gendreau |
F |
2 |
Lancaster, Ont. |
Human Kinetics |
|
Kaylane |
Hogue |
D |
1 |
Laval, Que. |
Biologie |
|
Emily |
Hume |
MF |
1 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Human Kinetics |
|
Rebecca |
LeBlanc |
D |
1 |
Sydney, N.S. |
Marketing |
|
Cooper |
Lee |
D |
4 |
Toronto, Ont. |
Management Information Systems and Analytics |
|
Emma |
Lefebvre |
F |
4 |
Kingston, Ont. |
Nursing |
|
Mikayla |
Morton |
F |
4 |
Courtice, Ont. |
Psychology |
|
Thea |
Nour |
F |
5 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Mechanical Engineering |
|
Delaney |
Rickert-Hall* |
F |
N/A |
Waterloo, Ont. |
Psychology |
|
Julia |
Rosenthal |
MF |
4 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Human Kinetics |
|
Jennifer |
Rowe |
MF |
4 |
Waterloo, Ont |
Medicine |
|
Michelle |
Salhany |
D |
3 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Communications |
|
Anna |
Satterthwaite |
F |
1 |
Mississauga, Ont. |
History and Political Science |
|
Margot |
Shore |
GK |
5 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Civil Engineering |
|
Miranda |
Smith* |
M |
N/A |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Communications |
|
Julia |
Tardioli |
D |
3 |
Ottawa, Ont. |
Psychology |
|
Hailey |
Walsh |
MF |
3 |
Courtice, Ont. |
Psychology |
*Non-roster player for the 2019 season due to completion of U SPORTS eligibility. Participation in the FISU University World Cup subject to change.
Head Coach: Steve Johnson
Assistant Coach: Stuart Barbour
Assistant Coach: David Bellemare
Assistant Coach: Jean Berchan
Team Scout: Mark Fowler