Ottawa, July 29, 2025 - Water Polo Canada’s Women’s Junior National Team is finalizing its preparation toward the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championship to be held August 10-15 in Salvador, Brazil.
Members of the Canadian squad, which will be led by Head Coach Samuel Donoghue and Assistant Coach Kyra Christmas (OLY), participated in a more than 2 weeks training camp with Water Polo Canada’s Women’s Senior National Team in July. The team will be leaving tomorrow, July 30th, to take part in a preparatory invitational tournament in Recife, Brazil. This pre-event is to include teams from Australia, Brazil, Israel, New Zealand and USA.
Canada, seeded in Group D with South Africa, China and Australia, will start the World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championships on August 10th against China, followed by a game the next day against Australia, and against South Africa on Day 3. Crossover matches will be held on August 13th, quarterfinals on August 14th, and semifinals and finals on August 15th.
“This group has been working really hard, especially over the last couple of weeks training with our senior national team talent pool”, said Water Polo Canada’s Junior National Team Head Coach Samuel Donoghue. “It’s been a great environment, and the team’s grown a lot. We’re excited to get to Brazil—first to Recife for some final prep, then on to the World Championships. The energy is high, the team’s focused, and we’re proud to represent Canada.”
"It’s a true honour to represent Canada with this team", said the Team Captain, Pippa Heaver. "We’re a group full of talent, grit, and trust, not just in each other but in our coaches and the process we’ve committed to. The vibrancy of our personalities shines through in everything we do, and the way we push, support, and learn from one another will put us in a position to play for each other and leave it all in the water. I’m proud of how far we’ve already come and excited for what’s to come."
The Canadian team qualified for the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championship following its 4th place finish at the 2024 PanAm Aquatics U19 Women’s Championships held in May 2024 in El Salvador.
At the last World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championship held in 2023 in Portugal, Canada finished in 12th position.
Lyle Brooks will also attend the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championship as a referee.
Canadian Team at the 2025 World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championship
BASU, Jaya Basu (Montreal, QC-CAMO)
BENJAMIN, Cianne (Toronto, ON-Shadow)
BLAZEVIC, Natalia (Vancouver, BC-Pacific Storm)
BOBYK, Grace (Toronto, ON-Toronto Golden Jets)
FEATHERSTONE, Katherine (Calgary, AB-Calgary Renegades)
HEAVER, Pippa (Beaverton, OR, USA / BC-UC Irvine)
KRUSHEN, Sydney (Regina, SK-Team Sask)
MADY, Isabella (Delta, BC-Fraser Valley)
MILNE, Riley (Burnaby, BC-Pacific Storm)
PLOMP, Brooklyn (Ottawa, ON-Capital Wave)
SCARTH, Madeleine (Surrey, BC-Surrey Water Polo)
SEGULJA, Melania (Burnaby, BC-Pacific Storm)
STODDARD, Alexandra (Abbotsford, BC-Fraser Valley)
ULMER-LUTUDROMU, Makayla (Regina, SK-Team Sask)
Alternates
CLARK, Mackenzie (BC-Fraser Valley)
COWAN, Penny (AB-Edmonton Tsunami)
FOLK, Abigail (ON-Mavericks)
PINEDA-MCLEAN, McKenna (AB-Calgary Renegades)
Coaches
Head Coach: Samuel Donoghue
Assistant Coach: Kyra Christmas
Support Staff
Team Manager: Ethan D’Souza
Team Therapist: Danaée Vachon
