Woodland, Hilworth Headed To FISU Games
(FREDERICTON, NB) Kendra Woodland knows the feeling. Pulling on a game jersey with the Team Canada logo on it is special.
“To be given the opportunity to pull on your country’s jersey is something you can never pass up,” said Woodland.
The third-year goalie for the UNB REDS women’s hockey team is among those selected to represent Canada at the upcoming FISU Winter Universiade, in Lucerne, Switzerland. The event runs December 11th-21st.
Woodland is the only REDS player on Canada’s women’s hockey team roster and one of only two players from Atlantic University Sport. Tyra Meropoulis, from St FX, is the other.
“I’m very honoured to be chosen to represent Canada at the FISU Games in Switzerland,” said Woodland. “I’m very excited to showcase the best of U SPORTS women’s hockey on the international stage.”
Woodland currently leads all AUS goaltenders with an 8-2 record. Her 1.87 goals against average and .928 save percentage are among the best in the league. In 2018-19, the Kamloops, BC, native was a 1st Team AUS All-Star, a member of the AUS All-Rookie Team, and the AUS Rookie of the Year. In 2019-20, she was a 2ndTeam AUS All-Star.
REDS head coach Sarah Hilworth and goalie coach Kyle MacDonald will join Woodland in Switzerland.
Hilworth will serve as one of four assistants on the staff of head coach Jon Rempel, from the University of Manitoba.
“I’m honoured to have been named to the 2021 FISU Team Canada staff,” said Hilworth. “It’s always been a goal of mine to represent our country, and it is exciting to be able to finally realize that goal.”
At the 2019 Winter Universiade, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Team Canada fell 2-0 to the host Russians in the gold medal game.
Hilworth says the team goal in 2021 is to improve on that finish.
“UNB has given me every opportunity to continue to grow as a coach, and it is exciting to know UNB and the Fredericton community will be supporting us as we go for gold in Switzerland,” she said.
Five other countries will compete in women’s hockey at the FISU Winter Games. Along with the host Swiss, Canada will also face Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia and the United States.
Canada opens the round-robin tournament on December 11th, against the Japanese.
The Games happen at the same time that UNB students will be writing exams for their fall term classes, so Woodland will be writing them while she’s overseas, under supervision. Team Canada does have two ‘off’ days during the women’s hockey round-robin.
“While we’re all excited to get back to sport and experience all that the Winter Universiade has to offer in a beautiful part of the world, our first priority will always be the health and safety of the Canadian delegation,” said Ben Matchett, Team Canada’s Chef de Mission. “FISU and the Lucerne organizing committee have put in place stringent protocols to ensure the safety of participants, including mandatory vaccination and testing, and we know we all have a responsibility to keep ourselves and each other safe and healthy.”