A trio of University of Victoria Vikes field hockey players will represent Canada at the 2021 Junior Pan American Cup in Santiago, Chile, in August. Following a week-long selection camp in Vancouver, Anna Mollenhauer, Stefanie Sajko and Nora Struchtrup were selected to the 19-player roster heading to South America. 

Vikes Libby Hogg and Maddie Mittelsteadt will practice with the team as non-travelling reserves, a unique opportunity to learn and train with Canada's top junior players. 

The original U21 Pan Am Cup was scheduled for 2020 but will now take place this summer. The age restrictions shifted to recognize the postponement of the tournament. Anyone born in 1999 or later is eligible to compete in the Junior Pan American Cup, but only those born in 2000 or later are eligible to compete in the Junior World Cup.

"This tournament has been in the back of a lot of our minds for a while now, given that it was supposed to take place in December 2020. A lot of hard work and time has been put into preparing for it, and I feel fortunate to be a part of this great group of girls, said Mollenhauer.

"It is exciting having other Vikes teammates and Island girls as a part of the group as well."  

The Junior Pan American Cup takes place from August 21-29, 2021, with the top three teams qualifying for the Junior World Cup, set for December in South Africa. Team Canada hasn't qualified for the Junior World Cup since 2013 when they placed fourteenth. Mollenhauer, Sajko and Struchtrup are looking to change that. 

For Sajko, who travelled to Dublin, Ireland as a U21 for the Four-Nations Cup, the opportunity to compete again and showcase her development during the pandemic and over the past year is something she has waited for.

"I am thankful to have another opportunity to test my skills at the international level but also to have the chance to travel again finally. This summer will be a challenge as I have to adapt my skills to play in a position I don't usually play. Still, I am proud to have this opportunity to represent Canada, and I know it will benefit me and help me grow as a player in the long run," she said. 

Having so many Vikes student-athletes competing at the top level bodes well for the reigning U SPORTS National Champions heading into the 2021-22 season.
 
"This is an excellent opportunity for our athletes to travel to Chile to compete and qualify for the upcoming Junior World Cup in December 2021. They have worked extremely hard during the pandemic, honing their skills with the aspirations of representing their country at this tournament, said Krista Thompson, women's field hockey assistant coach.

"The impact this experience will have on our team this season remains to be seen, but we believe that it will be a positive one. All three athletes are team-centred, so we trust that the knowledge they gain will be passed along to their Vikes teammates, making us stronger."

Team Canada will be centralized training in Vancouver, leading up to the Junior Pan Ams. They kick start their JPAC campaign against reigning champs, Argentina, on August 22. Click HERE for the schedule and more information.