TORONTO - Canada Basketball has announced the names of athletes who have been extended an invitation for the 2012 Canadian Senior Women’s National Team Tryout by Invitation. With the list of invitees, Canada Basketball also announced the staff for the 2012 Senior Women’s National Team.

The list of invitees features 25 of Canada`s top female basketball players. The list includes all players from last year’s senior women’s national team, as well as a mix of younger players who have developed through the national age group team program, some of whom will be at their first senior women’s national team tryout. The list features national team veterans, Chelsea Aubry (Kitchener, ON), Teresa Gabriele (Mission, BC), Kim Smith (Mission, BC) and up-and-coming players like: Natalie Achonwa (Guelph, ON), Kayla Alexander (Milton, ON) Katerine and Michelle Plouffe (Edmonton, AB).

Allison McNeill will be entering her 11th year as the senior women’s national team head coach (14th year with national team program), assisted by Mike McNeill and Lisa Thomaidis. Since joining the team, Allison has led the women’s national team to numerous medals including a third-place showing in last year’s FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifiers, which qualified the team for the final Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Canadian Women’s Team is currently ranked 11th in the world.

“We are returning eight athletes from our 2010 national team that had a 12th place finish at the world championships, but we also have a group of young athletes coming into camp to compete for a spot.  We have several athletes who are coming to their first-ever senior national team camp.  It is a great mix of veterans and new comers and we expect a very competitive camp,” said head coach, Allison McNeill.

Allison will also have some seasoned veterans she can lean on, who have great experience in past Olympics and FIBA World Championships.

“We have an incredible group of veteran athletes lead by 14-year veteran Teresa Gabrielle, nine-year veteran Kim Smith and eight-year veteran Chelsea Aubry.  These three athletes bring a great deal of experience to our team, having been to two world championships each, and Teresa having also been to the 2000 Olympics,” commented Allison.

The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team’s first competition will be against the Chinese Olympic team in the 2012 Jack Donohue International Classic, which will take place in Langley, Richmond and Abbotsford, British Columbia. These games will serve as a great test for the Canadian Senior Women’s National Team as this talented Chinese team currently ranks as seventh worldwide.

Attached below are the athletes who received an invitation to the senior women’s national team tryout by invitation and the senior national team staff.  Certain athletes who are unable to participate in the tryout by invitation are noted in the listing below.

2012 SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM – TRYOUT BY INVITATION LIST OF INVITEES

2012 SENIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM - STAFF