Canada Basketball Announces Roster for Women’s Olympic Qualifier

The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team will be travelling to Colombia next week for the first of two Olympic Qualifier tournaments.

On Friday Canada Basketball announced the twelve player roster that will travel to Colombia next week for the first of two Women’s Olympic Qualifier tournaments.

After spending the beginning of the week training in Toronto, the team is now in Miami ahead of travelling to Colombia to play in the tournament from November 9-12th. Canada is joined in this tournament by Colombia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, and the top two teams from this tournament will move on to the next qualifying stage in the new year.

If Canada leaves next’s weeks tournament in first place, they will play in Hungary against Hungary, Spain and Japan. If they place second next week, they will travel to China in the new year to face China, France, and New Zealand. Out of the 16 teams going into these qualifying tournaments, 12 will make the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Canada’s roster going into next week includes Kia Nurse (Seattle Storm), Natalie Achonwa (Minnesota Lynx), Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx), Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream) — all four of Canada’s rostered WNBA players. Also on the roster are Kayla Alexander (Bourges - France), Shay Colley (Flammes Carolo Basket Ardennes - France), Quinn Dornstauder (Sosnowiec - Poland), Nirra Fields (Izmit Belediyespor - Turkey) , Sami Hill (Araski AES - Spain), Aislinn Konig (Hozono Global Jairis - Spain), Cassandre Prosper (Notre Dame), and Syla Swords (Long Island Lutheran High School).

Coaching the team is head coach Victor Lapena, lead Assistant Coach Noel Quinn, and assistants Steve Baur, Carly Clarke, and Murriel Page.

Canada will play on Thursday November 9th against Venezuela, then on Friday November 10th against Colombia, and then on Sunday November 12th against Puerto Rico.

The team is currently ranked 5th in the World by FIBA and finished 4th place overall in the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.