VICTORIA - The University of Victoria is proud to announce that nine current and former Vikes student-athletes and one staff member represent Canada at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China, Aug. 12-23.

CIS 2011 SUMMER UNIVERSIADE WEB SITE / OFFICIAL 2011 SUMMER UNIVERSIADE WEB SITE / JAMES KEOGH BLOG FROM SHENZHEN, CHINA / LIVE VIDEO STREAMING

Swimmers #Hilary Caldwell#, #Craig Dagnall#, #MacKenzie Downing#, #Aimeson King# and #Nick Sinclair#, golfers #Anne Balser#, #Alyssa Herkel#  and #Megan Woodland#, and women's soccer player #Shayla Behrens# will be joined by Vikes manager of athletics #James Keogh#, serving as the administration manager, at the games.

Golfers Balser and Woodland are hoping to get the Canadian team on the podium.

"We have a really solid team and our goal as a team is to medal for sure," said Balser who will be at her second Summer Universiade after competing in Thailand in 2007 and finishing in a tie for 42nd overall. "With the way we played at the (2011) Canadian amateur and Canadian university tournaments, we should be able to do really well."

"Like my role with the Vikes, I see myself as someone who can encourage and help to lead the team," Balser said. "As an individual, I hope to crack the Top 10 and possibly the Top 5."

Golf was not offered at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Serbia, but in her most recent international competition at the world university golf championships in 2010 in Antequera, Spain, Balser finished in a tie for 12th place. She also placed 31st overall at the 2008 world university golf championships in Sun City, South Africa.

"It's a great opportunity to represent your country, and it is great experience for my golf career," Balser said. "My plan after this is to practice and get my game up to standards of the Cactus Tour, and eventually to Q (Qualifying) school. This international competition will benefit that process."

Balser is currently in Victoria trying to finish up some school papers for a summer course she started in May.

Woodland, who qualified for the games by virtue of her Top 5 showing at the Golf Canada university and college national championships in Ashburn, Ont., in June, said this is a "pretty cool opportunity" and she's looking forward to taking it all in. Qualifying for FISU was a goal for her when she chose UVic, and she said she is happy to see it come to fruition.

"I knew I was a couple of shots back form making the team and knew about the opportunity and fortunately played well in final round," Woodland said, noting this will be her first time representing Canada in sport. "Not many people get the chance to represent their country, and I'll also be representing my university… I feel pretty honoured."

Woodland, who has two years remaining at UVic, said knowing she would be joined by fellow Vikes student-athletes and golf teammates makes the journey to a new country "less intimidating."

"Because you have travelled with the people before and play with them year-round and spend time with them, it's a nice feeling to know you have friends going with you."

"I just want to be the best I can," Woodland said. "It will be hot there and conditions will be hard on the course. I just want to be happy with how I play."

The four-round women's golf tournament will be played on a course designed by Vijay Singh - Woodland said it's a "pretty elite course" - and a cut will be made after the first two rounds.

The 2011 games in Shenzhen will also mark the first international sports experience for Keogh who also said he is excited to represent Canada.

"It's a great opportunity for our student-athletes to represent their country. And on a personal level, I'm really looking forward to this experience," Keogh said. "This will be an unforgettable experience for all of those involved - meeting fellow Canadian student-athletes, competing against the world's best and experiencing a new culture. I'm very proud that nine of our Vikes are part of this team and we are all hoping to produce strong results and create lasting memories."

Canada will compete in 21 sports. Canada sent 209 athletes and 95 coaches and support staff at the last Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2009, and 91 athletes and 39 staff at the last Winter Games in Harbin, China.
 
Canadian student-athletes claimed six medals at the 2009 Winter Games including gold in the first-ever women's hockey tournament, and reached the podium 15 times a few months later in Serbia – all in track and field and swimming – including a pair of first-place finishes, one at the track and one at the pool. This past winter, in Erzurum, Turkey, Canada sent a team of 141 (102 student-athletes and 39 officials) to the Winter Universiade and captured one gold, three silver and one bronze medals from Jan. 27-Feb. 6.

FISU Athletes from UVic
Women's Soccer
Shayla Behrens (Victoria, B.C.) - Defender, 5'9"
Fourth Year, Sciences
Graduate of Mount Douglas HS in Victoria

Swimming
Aimeson King (Oakville, Ont.) - open water, 6'4"
Second Year, Social Sciences
Competed at FINA world aquatic championships in 10km, 5km, and team pursuit 5km for Canada in July in Shanghai, China

Nick Sinclair (Victoria, B.C.), backstroke, 6'2"
Second Year, Sciences
Graduate of Oak Bay Secondary

Craig Dagnall (Victoria, B.C.), freestyle distance, 5'11"
Second Year, Social Sciences
Graduate of Claremont Secondary

Hilary Caldwell (London, Ont.), backstroke,
Second Year, Undeclared
Won two medals (silver and bronze) at Canadian nationals in Pointe-Claire, Que., in late July, 2011

Mackenzie Downing (alumnus, Whitehorse, Yukon), butterfly and freestyle, 5'11"
Humanities
Won gold in 2007 games in 100m butterfly in Bangkok, Thailand

Golf
Anne Balser (Digby, N.S.), 5'7"
Fifth Year, Education
Placed 2nd at 2011 Golf Canada University and College Nationals in Ashburn, Ont., in June

Alyssa Herkel (Port Alberni, B.C.), 5'6"
Third Year, Sciences
Graduate of Alberni District Secondary

Megan Woodland (Victoria, B.C.), 5'8"
Second Year, Social Sciences
Graduate of Claremont Secondary

Withdrew due to injury
Darren Hupfer (Edmonton, Alta.), 5'6"

FISU Administration
James Keogh, Mission Staff