GUELPH, ON - Gryphon hockey will be well represented at the FISU games. A total of five members (four players and one coach) from the University of Guelph's varsity hockey programs are packing their bags and getting ready to represent Team Canada. Student-athletes from all over the world between the ages of 17 and 28 are getting set to flock to Almaty, Kazakhstan. That is the site of the 28th Winter Universiade organized by FISU (Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire), which take place January 29 - February 8. 

The Gryphons women's hockey team will be sending head coach Rachel Flanagan, as well as a trio of standout players in goalie Valerie Lamenta, defenceman Katherine Bailey and forward Kelly Gribbons. Flanagan, who served as an assistant coach of the gold-medal winning Team Canada side in 2013 in Italy, will now act as Team Canada's head coach in Kazakhstan.

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About FISU/Universiade Games

The Gryphons women's hockey team is currently ranked No. 4 in the country and sit atop the OUA standings. On Saturday, January 21 the Gryphons host UOIT. After that, the team's head coach and three star players will take a short leave of absence for international duty, but will only miss a total of two games. Flanagan, Lamenta, Bailey and Gribbons are all expected to be back in action with the Gryphons for the team's game at Brock on February 11. The two games which the Gryphs will be without their services for include a January 28th game at Laurier and a February 2nd home game versus Toronto.

Meanwhile, on the men's side, captain Scott Simmonds will end up missing significantly more time with his university team. While Simmonds is busy playing alongside some of the top players in U SPORTS hockey overseas, his Gryphons will have to adjust to life without their captain as they close out their regular season schedule. Although Simmonds will suit up for Saturday's game versus the University of Waterloo, he will miss the Gryphons final six regular season games. Simmonds will be back and available for the first round of OUA men's hockey playoffs which are set to begin February 15.
 

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28th Winter Universiade - Women's Ice Hockey Schedule:

Canada vs China - Saturday, Jan. 28 - 4:30
Canada vs Great Britain - Monday, Jan. 30 - 4:30
Canada vs Kazakhstan - Wednesday, Feb. 1 - 8:00

Semi-finals - Saturday, Feb. 4
Bronze & Gold Medal games - Monday, Feb. 6
 

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28th Winter Universiade - Men's Ice Hockey Schedule:

Canada vs U.S.A. - Monday, Jan. 30 - 7:30
Canada vs Great Britain - Wednesday, Feb. 1 - 4:00
Canada vs Slovakia - Friday, Feb. 3 - 12:30

Quarter-finals - Saturday, Feb. 4 & Sunday, Feb. 5
Semi-finals - Tuesday, Feb. 7
Bronze & Gold Medal games - Wednesday, Feb. 8
 

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ABOUT FISU:  FISU (or Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire) is responsible for the organisation and governance of worldwide competitions for student-athletes between the ages of 17 and 28. It was founded in 1949 as the world governing body of national university sports organisations and currently has 170 member associations (national federations) from five continents. Between 1949 and 2011, it was based in Brussels (Belgium); since 2011, it is based in Lausanne (Switzerland).
 

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