Canada Under-22 Camp to Showcase 18 League Standouts

CALGARY, Alta. – Eighteen (18) League standouts representing six (6) member institutions have been invited to Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team camp, taking place August 7-16 at the Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland, Ont., it was announced Friday by Hockey Canada.

The invitation list, which comprises 40 players, features goaltenders Erica Howe of Clarkson, Amanda Mazotta of Cornell and Yale incoming freshman Jaimie Leonoff; defensemen Hayleigh Cudmore, Laura Fortino and Lauriane Rougeau of Cornell, Mel Desrochers of St. Lawrence, Sasha Nanji of Dartmouth and Harvard incoming freshman Sarah Edney; and forwards Kelly Babstock and incoming freshman Nicole Kosta of Quinnipiac; Jessica Campbell, Brianne Jenner and Catherine White of Cornell; Reagan Fischer of Dartmouth; and Carly Mercer and Jamie Lee Rattray of Clarkson. Forward Chelsea Karpenko of Cornell was invited but is unable to participate. 

By position, invitations have been sent to four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 24 forwards. Invitations have been based on fitness testing conducted this spring and evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts during the 2010-11 season, including past performances within Canada’s National Women’s Program, with their club teams and at provincial and national championships for leagues such as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Hockey Canada also announced Thursday that former St. Lawrence standout Rebecca Russell will serve as an assistant coach during Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team camp. Russell will be joined by National Women’s Team alumna Laura Schuler, who will serve as head coach, and assistant coach Rachel Flanagan. 

Following the camp, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the team’s coaching staff, will continue to evaluate players with their club teams during the 2011-12 season, in preparation for selecting the Canadian team that will compete at the 2012 MLP Cup next January in Füssen, Germany. Canada has won this international tournament eight times in nine years, losing just two games.

Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team camp will see the 40 players split into two teams, Blue and Yellow, that will participate in several practices and intersquad games over the course of the week. It will be held in conjunction with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, which will split another 40 players into two teams, Red and White, for practices and intersquad games.