OTTAWA (December 20, 2010) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Monday the 10 CIS student-athletes and the team officials who will represent Canada in curling at the 2011 Winter Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey.

The 24th Winter World University Games will run from January 27 to February 6. The curling tournament kicks off on Jan. 28 with the finals set for Feb. 5.

Heading the red and white curling delegation in Erzurum will be team leader Wendy Morgan, women's coach Travis Brown, men's coach Richard Henderson, as well as Alison Fisher, who will serve as team official for the women's team.

The University of Regina Cougars and Queen's University Gaels will defend the Canadian colours in women's and men's competition, respectively. Both rinks earned the privilege by winning gold at the 2010 CIS championships, last march in Montreal.

On the men's side, the Queen's squad, which claimed CIS gold last winter thanks to a 7-6 defeat of UPEI, is made up of skip Jonathan Beuk of Kingston, Ont., third Andrew Inouye of Ottawa, second Chadd Vandermade of Ottawa, lead Scott Chadwick of Marysville, Ont., and alternative William Francis of Toronto, Ont., a veteran of the 2009 Universiade team when he attended Wilfrid Laurier University.

The Canadian men are coming off back-to-back sixth place finishes at the 2007 and 2009 Universiades, after capturing gold in the inaugural tourney in 2003. They are set to debut the 2011 competition against Great Britain on Jan. 28.

Sweden is defending Universiade champion on the men's side.

The Regina women's team, which edged Saint Mary's 6-5 in an extra end to capture the CIS title, is comprised of skip Brooklyn Lemon, third Chelsey Peterson, second Ashley Green, lead Nicole Lang, as well as alternate Sarah Watamanuk.

Lemon and her troops will look to resume Canada's impressive run of success in women's curling at the Games. Since the sport made its Universiade debut in 2003 in Tarvisio, Italy, the Canadian women have reached the final of all three tournaments claiming silver in 2003, gold in 2007 (Turin, Italy) and silver in 2009 (Harbin, China). Curling wasn't part of the Universiade program in 2005 in Austria.

In Erzurum, Canada will open round-robin play on Jan. 28 with matches against Poland and Great Britain. On Jan. 30, in their fifth preliminary round duel, the Canadians will face China looking to avenge a 6-5 loss in the final of the 2009 tournament.

Ten countries will compete in both the women's and men's tournaments in Turkey. The top four teams at the end of round-robin play advance to the semi-finals.

Canada's participation in the Universiade is managed by the CIS International Programs.

Team Canada website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/universiade/winter
2011 Winter Universiade website: www.erzurum2011.gov.tr/english

TEAM CANADA ROSTER: WOMEN

Position Name University Hometown
Skip Brooklyn Lemon Regina Maryfield, Sask.
Third Chelsey Peterson Regina Estevan, Sask.
Second Ashley Green Regina Yellowknife, N.W.T.
Lead Nicole Lang Regina Regina, Sask.
Alternate Sarah Watamanuk Regina Crane Valley, Sask.

TEAM CANADA ROSTER: MEN

Position Name University Hometown
Skip Jonathan Beuk Queen's Kingston, Ont.
Third Andrew Inouye Queen's Ottawa, Ont.
Second Chadd Verdermade Queen's Ottawa, Ont.
Lead Scott Chadwick Queen's Marysville, Ont.
Alternate William Francis Queen's Toronto, Ont.

STAFF

Team Leader: Wendy Morgan (Burlington, Ont.)
Coach (women): Travis Brown (Loreburn, Sask.)
Coach (men): Richard Henderson (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
Team official (women): Alison Fisher (Regina, Sask.)

SCHEDULE

Women
Jan. 28 (9:00): Canada vs. Japan
Jan. 28 (19:00): Canada vs. Great Britain
Jan. 29 (14:00): Canada vs. Czech Republic
Jan. 30 (9:00): Canada vs. Poland
Jan. 30 (19:00): Canada vs. China
Jan. 31 (14:00): Canada vs. Korea
Feb. 1 (9:00): Canada vs. Germany
Feb. 1 (19:00): Canada vs. Russia
Feb. 2 (14:00): Canada vs. Turkey
Feb. 3: Tie-breaking games
Feb. 4 (9:00): Semi-finals
Feb. 4 (15:00): Bronze
Feb. 5 (9:00): Final

Men
Jan. 28 (14:00): Canada vs. Great Britain
Jan. 29 (9:00): Canada vs. Switzerland
Jan. 29 (19:00): Canada vs. Czech Republic
Jan. 30 (14:00): Canada vs. Norway
Jan. 31 (9:00): Canada vs. Sweden
Jan. 31 (19:00): Canada vs. China
Feb. 1 (14:00): Canada vs. USA
Feb. 2 (9:00): Canada vs. Korea
Feb. 2 (19:00): Canada vs. Turkey
Feb. 3: Tie-breaking games
Feb. 4 (9:00): Semi-finals
Feb. 4 (15:00): Bronze
Feb. 5 (14:00): Final

- courtesy of the CIS