Football Canada unveils 2017 Women’s National Team roster
The dream of representing their nation at the highest level has come true for 45 of the top women’s tackle football players in Canada.
Eleven additional players were named to a reserve roster. Canada heads into the 2017 IFAF Women’s World Championship with a pair of silver medals earned at the inaugural event in 2010 as well as the 2013 installment in Finland.
The national team retains a core group of players as 13 of the 45 women on the roster competed in 2013 including Alex Black, Trina Graves and Christine O’Donnell who are set to represent Canada for a third straight Women’s World Championship.
The selection process began this past summer as aspiring national team players were identified at the Women’s National Championship in Regina and invited to attend regional selection camps held this past December in Montreal and Moose Jaw.
“I’d like to congratulate all those that took part in the selection process. It was extremely difficult to narrow down our roster to 45,” said head coach Jeff Yausie. “Women’s football continues to grow in Canada and it’s a testament to the hard work that women across the country have been putting in. The world championships represent the pinnacle of women’s tackle football and for 45, their dream is about to become a reality and for that they should be extremely proud.”
Canada is led by an experienced coaching staff that returns head coach Jeff Yausie alongside respective defensive and special teams coordinators Pierre Migner and Olivier Eddie. The duo is joined by incoming offensive coordinator, Ryan Clutterbuck. The coaching staff also returns offensive line coach Chris Hengen-Braun while former Team Canada quarterback Saadia Ashraf is set to participate in her third women’s worlds as a first-time national team coach. See: Full coaching staff
“There’s a tremendous amount of passion and experience on this coaching staff which will help as we work towards building off a silver medal in Finland. Based on what we saw at the first-ever National Championship this past summer, our team will be younger, faster and stronger.”
The host nation and location for the 2017 Women’s World Championship has yet to be named.
Now held every four years, the inaugural 2010 event took place in Stockholm, Sweden while Vantaa, Finland played host to the second installment in 2013.
Football Canada’s 2017 Women’s National Team
| Name / Nom | Pos. | Team / Équipe |
| KOWALSKI, Aimee * | QB/QA | Regina Riot |
| LACASSE, Maude | QB/QA | Blitz de Montréal |
| BRICK, Cassey | RB/DO | Chicago Force |
| FRIESEN, Julene | RB/DO | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| MATHESON, Samantha | RB/DO | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| THIVIERGE, Laurence | RB/DO | Blitz de Montréal |
| AGAR, Carmen | FB/CA | Regina Riot |
| DeMERCHANT, Olivia | FB/CA | Capital Area Lady Gladiators |
| GOMES, Lisa | FB/CA | Calgary Rage |
| BRODEUR, Sonia | OL/LO | Blitz de Montréal |
| FUNK, Alyssa | OL/LO | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| GRAVES, Trina ** | OL/LO | Saint John Storm |
| HENDERSON, Tanya | OL/LO | Edmonton Storm |
| LAMMERDING, Jaime * | OL/LO | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| VIKLUND, Ashley | OL/LO | Regina Riot |
| ROBERGE, Virginie * | OL/LO | Blitz de Montréal |
| BLACK, Alex ** | REC | Capital Area Lady Gladiators |
| CHEVRIER, Annabelle | REC | Blitz de Montréal |
| DORE, Claire * | REC | Regina Riot |
| DYCK, Carly | REC | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| KOWALSKI, Alex | REC | Regina Riot |
| KISELYK, Marci * | REC | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| PONTBRIAND, Laurence * | REC | Blitz de Montréal |
| WILSON, Alicia | REC | Calgary Rage |
| HUNGLE, Katie | DE/AD | Regina Riot |
| ILELABOYE, Mubo | DE/AD | Winnipeg Wolfpack |
| IWAASA, Wendy | DE/AD | Lethbridge Steel |
| DUCHESNEAU, Joanie | DT/PD | Blitz de Montréal |
| TWIN, Sanderina | DT/PD | Edmonton Storm |
| O’DONNELL, Christine ** | DT/PD | Winnipeg Wolfpack |
| WARD, Breanne | DT/PD | Winnipeg Wolfpack |
| BÉLANGER, Émilie * | LB/SEC | Blitz de Montréal |
| BUCKLAND, Allysa | LB/SEC | Winnipeg Wolfpack |
| CHATTERTON, Kristen * | LB/SEC | Capital Area Lady Gladiators |
| FAST, Jill | LB/SEC | Winnipeg Wolfpack |
| KOUROPOULOU, Artemis | LB/SEC | Regina Riot |
| ROUSSEL, Virginie | LB/SEC | Blitz de Montréal |
| DE JONG, Shaylyn | DB/DD | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| GIROUARD, Kaitlynn | DB/DD | St. John Storm |
| GOLDSNEY, Emma | DB/DD | Edmonton Storm |
| HALLE, Emilie | DB/DD | Detroit Dark Angels |
| HENINGER, Rebeckah “Becky” | DB/DD | Lethbridge Steel / Calgary Rage |
| JANSON, Amélie | DB/DD | Blitz de Montréal |
| THOMSON, Beth * | DB/DD | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| ZUCK, Adrienne * | DB/DD | Regina Riot |
*=signifies returning player from Canada’s 2013 Women’s National Team
**=signifies returning player from Canada’s 2013 and 2010 Women’s National Teams
Reserve Roster
| Name / Nom | Pos. | Team / Équipe |
| McGOWAN, Aria | QB/QA | Edmonton Storm |
| WALTON, Erin ** | FB/CA | Calgary Rage |
| SCHNELL, Celeste | OL/LO | Regina Riot |
| BRUNET, Rose-Amélie | REC | Blitz de Montréal |
| O’DRISCOLL, Brigitte | DE/AD | Blitz de Montréal |
| MATWYCZUK, Alexa * | DT/PD | Manitoba Fearless |
| WILSON, Kendra | OL/LO | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| STARKEY, Mallory * | LB/SEC | Regina Riot |
| MYALL, Amanda | DB/DD | Manitoba Fearless |
| RUEVE, Rienna | DB/DD | Saskatoon Valkyries |
| RULLER, Amanda | DB/DD |
