July 12, 2019

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OKOTOKS, Alberta -Baseball Canada is pleased to announce the names of 20 athletes that will represent Canada at the COPABE Women’s Baseball World Cup Qualifier in Aguascalientes, Mexico from August 18-25.

The announcement comes following a three-day selection camp at Tourmaline Field in Okotoks, Alta., where 25 athletes competed for 20 available spots on the team. Selection camp followed the annual Women’s Invitational Championships where Ontario claimed the national title for a third consecutive year.

Canada, ranked No. 2 in the most recent WBSC Women’s Baseball world rankings, is coming off a 2018 season that included a bronze medal at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.

The roster, selected by first-year Manager Aaron Myette along with coaches Sheen Bromley and Ashley Stephenson, features a mix of veteran players with plenty of international baseball experience, while a cast of newcomers will be making their international debuts at the qualifier in August.

With the retirement of original Women’s National Team players Kate Psota and Ashley Stephenson following the 2018 season, Amanda Asay (Prince George, BC) takes over as the longest serving member on the team having made her debut with the program in 2005 and participating in the last seven WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup events along with the 2015 Pan Am Games. Claire Eccles (Surrey, BC) Jenna Flannigan (Cornwall, ON) and Kelsey Lalor (Red Deer, AB) are up next with three World Cup appearances and the ’15 Pan Ams on their international baseball resumes.

The qualification tournament marks the first time that a women’s baseball world qualifier will take place for the Americas. The schedule and a list of participating nations will be announced at a later date.

Women’s National Team Roster Highlights:

-The veteran club returns 10 players (Amanda Asay, Emma Carr, Claire Eccles, Jenna Flannigan, Liz Gilder, Kelsey Lalor, Anne-Sophie Lavallée, Kaitlyn Ross, Allison Schroder and Madison Willan) who won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup in Viera, Florida. Katie Hagen (2016) and Heather Healey (2014, 2016), both named to the roster, have previous Women’s Baseball World Cup experience.

-Eight players named to the squad (Sena Catterall, Alexane Fournier, Stacy Fournier, Sophie Gagné, Carrie Jespersen, Ellie Jespersen, Brittney Langlais and Marika Lyszczyk) will be participating in international play with the Women’s National Team for the first time in Mexico.

Roster

Amanda Asay - Prince George, BC

Emma Carr - Toronto, ON

Sena Catterall - Pierrefonds, QC

Claire Eccles – White Rock, BC

Jenna Flannigan - Cornwall, ON

Alexane Fournier - Saint Jean sur Richelieu, QC

Stacy Fournier - Surrey, BC

Sophie Gagné – Ste Martine, QC

Liz Gilder – Port Moody, BC

Katie Hagen – Dartmouth, NS

Heather Healey - Paradise, NL

Carrie Jespersen – Spruce Grove, AB

Ellie Jespersen – Spruce Grove, AB

Kelsey Lalor – Red Deer, AB

Brittney Langlais – Garson, MB

Anne-Sophie Lavallée – Boucherville, QC

Marika Lyszczyk – Delta, BC

Kaitlyn Ross - Redcliff, AB

Allison Schroder - Fruitvale, BC

Madison Willan – Edmonton, AB

Coaching Staff

Aaron Myette – Manager

Sheen Bromley – Coach

Ashley Stephenson – Coach