Ferguson chosen for Team Canada
StFX X-Women forward Brayden Ferguson has been chosen to play on the national women's hockey team that will participate in the 2009 World University Games in Harbin, China this February.
“I am excited about the selection and it will be a very rewarding experience to both play hockey and learn about a new culture at the same time when the team travels to China,” comments Ferguson. “It is my first time on a national team so I am pretty exciting about wearing the maple leaf for the first time.”
Ferguson learned of her selection earlier this week, and will make her debut appearance in a Canadian national team jersey. She had participated in two selection camps for the team, the latest one held this past July in Toronto.
A native of Toronto, ON, Ferguson is currently in her fifth and final season with the X-Women. 2007 marked her most celebrated year to date as she was named the CIS Player of the Year, the first time an AUS athlete has been awarded that honor. She led the country in scoring with 50 points (25 goals and 25 assists) during the regular season and was named the AUS championship Most Valuable Player with six playoff points in two games, leading the X-Women to their third AUS title in the past four years. A reigning CIS first team all-Canadian and AUS Most Valuable Player, Ferguson currently has 12 points (7 goals and 5 assists) in ten regular season games to date with the X-Women.
“We are very pleased with Brayden being chosen to represent Canada, she is very worthy of the selection,” comments X-Women head coach David Synishin. “She has proven to be one of the premier players in the AUS over the last four years, topping off last season with her CIS Player of the Year award.”
\r\nThe World University Games are scheduled for February 14-28, 2009 in Harbin, China. The University Games are an 11-day multi-sport event that takes place every two years in various cities all over the world. Participation is open to any competitor between the ages of 17 and 28 in the year of the Games, who is a full-time post-secondary student or has graduated from a post-secondary institution within the previous year of the event. The 25th version of the Games in February will mark the debut for women’s ice hockey. Hockey Canada and CIS are sending a CIS all-star team comprised of student-athletes from various institutions across the country. CIS competition will continue throughout the Games with the athletes returning to their respective teams following the international competition.
\r\nAlong with Ferguson, two other AUS athletes have been selected for the national team, forwards Kori Cheverie from Saint Mary’s and Marieve Provost from the Universite de Moncton.