Aaliyah Edwards, Kia Nurse named to Canadian Olympic team

Aaliyah Edwards and Kia Nurse will both represent the Canadian senior national team in Tokyo, adding to UConn women’s basketball’s already strong Olympic representation. The announcement of the Canadian team ups the total to nine former Huskies set to compete in women’s basketball events in the upcoming games.

Nurse is one of three current WNBA players on the Canadian roster, and one of six players with previous Olympic experience. Nurse played for Canada in the 2016 Rio Olympic games prior to her junior season with the Huskies. She averaged 11 points per game through the group stage and Quarterfinals, where Canada fell to France and ended their Olympic run.

With now over three seasons of experience in the WNBA, Nurse is expected to be an integral part of Team Canada’s run in the 2020 games. The team enters the Olympics with ranking fourth in the FIBA standings and has their eyes set on leaving Tokyo with a medal.

Edwards, on the other hand, is the youngest player on the Team Canada roster leading up to her sophomore season at UConn. She is joined by two additional current college players on the roster in Laeticia Amihere (South Carolina) and Shaina Pellington (Arizona).

Edwards has been named to the roster after representing Canada at the AmeriCup earlier in June. At the AmeriCup, Edwards averaged 15.2 minutes and contributed 4.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She also demonstrated a more versatile skill set than was visible on the court during her freshman season at UConn, playing more as a wing than a post player at times.

Nurse and Edwards will tip off the group stage with Canada on the opening day of the Olympic basketball tournament on Monday, July 26.