Basketball Manitoba is proud to recognize Winnipeg’s Emily Potter and Niyah Becker as two of 16 athletes invited to attend Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team training camp in preparation for the upcoming FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025.
The national team will gather in Toronto from June 9–16 for a training block at Toronto Metropolitan University before traveling to Brazil for a series of exhibition games from June 17–24. From there, Team Canada will head to Santiago, Chile, where the AmeriCup tournament will take place June 28–July 6.
Potter, a dominant frontcourt presence and long-time national team contributor, joins Becker, as representatives of Manitoba basketball on the national stage. Both athletes continue to inspire the next generation of players from the province, showcasing their talent, dedication, and leadership at the highest level.
Canada is coming off a bronze medal performance at the 2023 AmeriCup and will aim for its fourth title in the tournament’s history. A championship win in Chile would secure an automatic qualification to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
This camp is the first under newly appointed head coach Nell Fortner, a decorated international coach and former WNBA head coach. She brings deep experience and leadership to a roster that includes Olympic veterans and promising young athletes alike.
“This is an exciting time for our program with a new head coach and a talented group of players coming into camp,” said Steve Baur, General Manager and Vice-President, Women’s High Performance. “This week is about laying the foundation — building connections, sharpening our identity, and preparing this group to compete against quality international opponents in the weeks to come.”
The training camp marks the first for newly appointed head coach Nell Fortner. The veteran coach brings a wealth of international experience, having guided the United States to Olympic gold in 2000 and led USA Basketball at multiple FIBA events. Fortner has also served as head coach of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and most recently coached at the NCAA level with Georgia Tech.
The 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup will serve as a key benchmark in Canada’s ongoing four-year cycle toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“With a core of Olympians alongside some exciting young talent, this is a great opportunity to elevate our standard and set the tone for the summer.”
The training camp roster features a strong core of experienced veterans, including two-time Olympians Shay Colley (Paris 2024, Tokyo 2020) and Kayla Alexander (Paris 2024, Tokyo 2020), along with Yvonne Ejim and Sami Hill, both Paris 2024 Olympians, and Shaina Pellington, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian.
Senior Women’s National Team training camp roster – FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025
- Kayla Alexander – Milton, Ont.
- Niyah Becker – Winnipeg, Man.
- Shay Colley – Brampton, Ont.
- Shy Day-Wilson – Toronto, Ont.
- Yvonne Ejim – Calgary, Alta.
- Delaney Gibb – Richmond, Alta.
- Sami Hill – Toronto, Ont.
- Phillipina Kyei – Calgary, Atla.
- Emily Potter – Winnipeg, Man.
- Shaina Pellington – Pickering, Ont.
- Merissah Russell – Ottawa, Ont.
- Savannah Swords – Sudbury, Ont.
- Sarah Te-Biasu – Montréal, Que.
- Quinn Dornstauder – Regina, Sask.
- Tara Wallack – Surrey, B.C.
- Keishana Washington – Pickering, Ont.
Basketball Manitoba congratulates Emily and Niyah on their continued impact on the international stage and wishes them and the entire national team success in their AmeriCup journey.