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TORONTO, ON -- Canada Basketball announced today that guard Nirra Fields is one of 24 athletes to be invited to participate in the Women's National Team Phase 1 camp at the Saville Community Centre in Edmonton May 21-30.
Just a few weeks removed from being drafted as the 32nd pick overall and in the third round of the 2016 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, Fields should learn in the next couple days if she has made the final 12-person roster for the Mercury.
Fields became the first UCLA player since Lindsey Pluimer in 2008 (2nd round by Washington Mystics) to be drafted by the WNBA. She is the ninth Bruin to become a WNBA Draft pick.
Fields is the fourth-leading scorer in UCLA history with 1,867 career points. This past season, the three-time All-Pac-12 selection was second on the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game. She also averaged 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
"After a tremendous 2015, we're excited to get the 2016 senior season started as we prepare for our second-consecutive Olympic games,” said Denise Dignard, Director, Women's High Performance. “Our players have all had great seasons with their respective clubs or schools and have been looking forward to 2016.”
The 2015 back-to-back gold medalist will reunite in Edmonton on May 21 for the first phase of training before a squad will be nominated to travel to Spain and France for a five-game exhibition tour. Canada, currently 9th in FIBA World Rankings, will face-off against 2nd-ranked Australia, 3rd-ranked Spain, 4th-ranked France, 8th-ranked China and 13th-ranked Cuba.
"Canada will re-group on June 28 in Edmonton for the second phase of training, where they will host China for the Edmonton Grads International Classic (EGIC) from July 9-11 at the Saville Centre in Edmonton, AB. Tickets are now available, click here to purchase.
The final phase of training will begin July 22 in Toronto, ON. The team will then head to the U.S. for an exhibition tournament before heading to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games from August 5-22.
The full list of invitees, staff and schedule for Phase 1 follows:
|
NAME |
POSITION |
HEIGHT |
HOMETOWN |
CLUB/SCHOOL |
|
Natalie Achonwa |
Power Forward |
6'3” |
Guelph, ON |
Indiana Fever (WNBA) |
|
Miranda Ayim |
Power Forward |
6'3” |
London, ON |
Basket Landes (France) |
|
Adut Bulgak |
Centre |
6'4” |
Edmonton, AB |
New York Liberty (WNBA) |
|
Bridget Carleton |
Guard |
6'1 |
Chatham, ON |
Iowa State (NCAA) |
|
Shay Colley |
Guard |
5'7” |
Brampton, ON |
Pittsburgh (NCAA) |
|
Laura Dally |
Guard |
5'9” |
Sarnia, ON |
Saskatchewan (CIS) |
|
Quinn Dornstauder |
Centre |
6'4” |
Regina, SK |
Arizona State (NCAA) |
|
Guard |
5'6” |
Montreal, QC |
Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) |
|
|
Kim Gaucher |
Guard |
6'1” |
Mission, BC |
Mondeville (France) |
|
Saicha Grant-Allen |
Forward |
6'4” |
Hamilton, ON |
Dayton (NCAA) |
|
Ruth Hamblin |
Centre |
6'6” |
Houston, BC |
Dallas Wings (WNBA) |
|
Miah-Marie Langlois |
Point Guard |
5'8” |
Windsor, ON |
Dynamo-Guvd Novosibirsk (Russia) |
|
Lizanne Murphy |
Small Forward |
6'1” |
Beaconsfield, QC |
Angers (France) |
|
Kia Nurse |
Point Guard |
6'0” |
Hamilton, ON |
UConn (NCAA) |
|
Katherine Plouffe |
Small Forward |
6'3” |
Edmonton, AB |
Nantes Reze (France) |
|
Michelle Plouffe |
Small Forward |
6'3” |
Edmonton, AB |
Mondeville (France) |
|
Emily Potter |
Centre |
6'4” |
Winnipeg, MB |
Utah (NCAA) |
|
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe |
Forward |
6'2” |
Vernon, BC |
Wasserburg (Germany) |
|
Karly Roser |
Guard |
5'10” |
Hamilton, ON |
Neuss (Germany) |
|
Tamara Tatham |
Small Forward |
6'1” |
Brampton, ON |
Townville Fire (Australia) |
|
Shona Thorburn |
Point Guard |
5'10” |
Hamilton, ON |
Nantes Reze (France) |
|
Jamie Weisner |
Guard |
5'9” |
Clarkston, WA |
Connecticut Sun (WNBA) |
|
Korissa Williams |
Guard |
5'8” |
Windsor, ON |
Dunkerque (France Div. 2) |
|
Dakota Whyte |
Guard |
5'9” |
Ajax, ON |
Wisconsin (NCAA) |
2016 SUMMER SCHEDULE
|
May 21-30 |
Phase 1 camp |
Saville Centre, Edmonton |
|
June 1-9 |
Training & Exhibition
|
Spain & France |
|
June 26-July 8 |
Phase 2 camp |
Saville Centre, Edmonton |
|
July 9-11 |
Edmonton Grads International Classic vs Team China
|
Saville Centre, Edmonton |
|
July 22-26 |
Phase 3 Training |
TBC, Toronto |
|
July 27-31 |
Phase 3 Exhibition |
TBC, USA |
|
August 5-21 |
Olympic Games |
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil |