Experienced women’s World University Games team named
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Australia will take an experienced women’s team to the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China after the squad was announced this week.
National senior squad members Lea Barta, Nanda Stoltz, Patrice O’Neill and Keesja Gofers, who bring a wealth of top-level international experience to the team, will spearhead the 14-player group.
For Barta, Gofers, Stoltz, Sophie Ricketts and Jo Whitehorn it will be their second World University Games tournament after they helped Australia to fifth place at the 2009 Games in Belgrade.
Gofers and Whitehorn were major contributors to the goal scoring in 2009, netting six and five goals respectively throughout Australia’s five games.
Madison Morrison, Gabby Wikman, Georgia Clarke and Victoria Risby will all gain their first taste of International Senior competition at the tournament.
The team will travel to Perth on July 15 for an intense training camp with the Australian junior team who are preparing for September’s FINA World Junior Championships in Trieste, Italy.
Following that camp the Uni Games squad will leave for Shenzhen on August 6 before the August 12 start of the nine-team tournament’s round robin stage where they have drawn Russia, France, Mexico and the USA in the difficult Pool B.
Australian Head Coach Eddie Denis said his squad selection was based on a number of important aspects.
“The women’s World University Games team was selected based on current selection in the national senior squad, overall level and improvement made in testing performance, performance at our training camp in May, performance in the daily training environment and performance in the 2011 National League.”
Australian team for 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China
Goalkeepers: Lea Barta (NSW), Victoria Risby (SA)
Field Players: Madison Morrison (VIC), Gabby Wikman (NSW), Sophie Ricketts (SA), Jessica Martin (SA), Georgia Clarke (NSW), Patrice O’Neill (NSW), Nanda Stoltz (QLD), Alicia Brightwell (NSW), Joanne Whitehorn (NSW), Jana Liessmann (NSW), Ebony Neesham (WA), and Keesja Gofers (NSW)
Head Coach: Eddie Denis
Team Manager: Jenny Liessmann
