After a week of selection camps at the Team Canada Volleyball Centre at the University of Manitoba for the women's squad and at the Collège St-Alexandre in Gatineau for the men's squad, Team Canada announced the Senior Women's and Men's teams for the 2009 International Volleyball season. This year's women's team includes two current Manitoba Bisons and one alumnus player while the men's team has three Bison alumni players.

For the women's team, setter Samantha Loewen and left side hitter Ashley Voth were selected along with Bison alumnus left side hitter Tammy Mahon as the captain. For the men's squad, Bison alumni players on the roster are middle Steve Brinkman, libero Dan Lewis and left side Toon van Lankvelt.

Voth, 20, earned her fourth consecutive selection to the Team Canada Senior's Team. In the 2008-09 season, she battle health problems in the first half and still rallied to have another solid CIS season in her third year with Manitoba. She was first in Canada West in hitting percentage at .394 plus third in team stats with 113 kills in conference regular season. In the 2009 playoffs, she registered 12 kills, five digs and five total blocks in two matches.

Loewen, 20, earns her second consecutive selection to the Senior Team after a fantastic sophomore campaign with the Bisons. In her sophomore season, Loewen was named Canada West Second Team Al-Star and continued to lead the Bisons as she was second in Canada West in assists with 10.46 per game (74 games/774 assists) plus in team stats, she was tied for fifth on the Bisons with 93 kills and second with 19 service aces over the conference regular season. In the 2009 playoffs, she registered 71 assists, 18 digs, seven kills and three service aces in two matches.

Mahon, from Holland, MB, was first selected to Team Canada in 2001 and has been named captain for this season's squad. She was named Bison Sports Female Athlete of the Year (2002-03), CIS First Team All-Canadian (2002-03), CIS Second Team All-Canadian (2001-02), CIS Championship MVP (2001-02), Canada West First Team All-Star (2001-02, 2002-03) and part of four CIS medal winning teams (two gold, one silver and one bronze).

Sarah Morrissette, 21, was also named to Team Canada 'B' team, which will represent Canada at the 2009 Summer Universiade (FISU Games) in Belgrade, Serbia from July 1-12.

For the men, Lewis, from Oakville, ON, was named CIS and GPAC Rookie of the Year in the 1995-96 season and then selected CIS Championship MVP during Manitoba winning CIS Championship in 1995-96 season. Lewis was also 1996-97, 1998-99 GPAC All-Star and 1995-96 and 1996-97CIS All-Canadian Honourable mention plus named to 2001 CIS Championship All-Star team. Brinkman, from Bowmanville, ON, was selected CIS Championship MVP during Manitoba winning CIS Championship in 1999-2000 season. Brinkman was also named 1998-99 GPAC Player of the Year, GPAC All-Star and CIS All-Canadian First Team plus named Bison Sport Male Athlete of the Year (1998-99). Van Lankvelt, from Rivers, MB native, was first selected to Team Canada in 2005. He was named as the Canada West Rookie of the Year in 2002-03 plus Canada West First Team All-Star in 2004-05 and conference second team all-star in 2006-07.


The Team Canada Volleyball complete 2009 International Schedule is as follows:
Men's Program:
June 1-6        Pan American Cup (Chiapas, Mexico)
July 20-26        Exhibition Matches vs. Australia (Ontario and Quebec)
August 8-10        World Championship Qualifier (Cuba)
September 19-27    America's Cup Tournament (Brazil)
October 3-10        NORCECA Championship (Puerto Rico)


Women's Program:
June 9-12         Exhibition Series vs. Peru (Winnipeg, MB)
June 24-July 5     Women\'s Pan American Cup (Miami)
July 1-12         25th Summer Universiade – FISU Games (Belgrade, Serbia)
July 8-10         World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Puerto Rico)
September 20-28     NORCECA Continental Championship (Bayamon, Puerto Rico)