VICTORIA - When Team Canada steps onto the pitch in Montevideo, Uruguay, for the 2025 Pan American Cup, almost a quarter of the women's national team roster will be representing Vancouver Island and the Vikes.
Coming off a U SPORTS national championship season, current University of Victoria standouts
Julia Boraston and
Libby Hogg will earn their first senior national caps in Uruguay. Joining them are Vikes legends Anna Mollenhauer and Kat Leahy, both seasoned veterans with a combined 161 international appearances, heading up a team that combines veteran experience with youthful energy.
"It's exciting for both JB [
Julia Boraston] and Libby to get their first caps," said Vikes head coach
Krista Thompson. "They've made massive sacrifices to be in this position, constantly commuting between Victoria and Vancouver to stay in the mix with the senior national program. They've definitely earned this."
Boraston, still eligible for U23 play, has a shot at another Junior World Cup down the line. Hogg, meanwhile, just wrapped a banner season where she earned U SPORTS All-Canadian, Canada West All-Star, and U SPORTS All-Tournament team. She also earned UVic's prestigious President's Cup, a recognition of her outstanding performance both on and off the field.
"I am super excited to be getting the opportunity to represent Canada on the international stage at the senior level for this event. It has been a goal of mine for a while to achieve this and to be able to earn my first cap at this event alongside current and former Vikes players. I am truly very honoured for this opportunity," said Hogg, shortly after receiving the news.
Mollenhauer, who's completing her master's degree at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, is already a stalwart for Canada with 61 caps. For Leahy, who balances international competition with medical school, it's just another day at the office, having already earned 100 caps for Canada.
"Island athletes are built different," said Thompson. "They understand what it takes to succeed in a sport where the national training centre is across the water. All four of these athletes are still students and continue to choose to compete at the highest level."
This roster is a testament to UVic's legacy and dedication to helping grow women's field hockey from the grassroots level. All four players came up through the Vikes Rising Stars youth program, shaped by the same turf, coaches, and culture that's now fueling Canada's push for a 2026 FIH World Cup berth.
The Vikes influence doesn't stop with the players. Alumna Alanna Martin and Hall of Famer Nancy Mollenhauer are managing the women's and men's squads, while Ali Baggot is embedded with the team as media liaison and official.
With a World Cup spot at stake, a notable strength of the team is its Vancouver Island core, which consists of four players who developed within the same UVic system and brings a valuable combination of proven work ethic, high-performance habits, and a history of performing well under pressure.
Read the full Field Hockey Canada release
