January 17, 2020 – Volleyball Canada is proud to announce the 2020 National teams for the Beach Volleyball programs.

Headlining the athletes are the duo of Sarah Pavan (Kitchener, ON) and Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto, ON). The Senior Team pair is currently the number one ranked women's team in the world, after a remarkable 2019 that saw them win a gold medal in the 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Hamburg, Germany (that earned a berth in the Olympic Games), and two gold medals at the FIVB World Tour in Edmonton, Alberta and Vienna, Austria. They were also named the FIVB’s Most Outstanding Team for the World Tour.

The other two women on Canada’s Senior Team are Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON) and Brandie Wilkerson (Toronto, ON). The duo won two bronze medals on the World Tour in 2019 after winning back-to-back gold medals to end 2018. For their overall performance, they sit sixth on the FIVB Olympic ranking.

On the men’s side, Sam Schachter (Richmond Hill, ON) and Sam Pedlow (Barrie, ON) are the top-ranked Canadian men, sitting 15th in the Olympic ranking. Their 2019 season was highlighted by a silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.

The final pair on the Canadian Senior Team are Ben Saxton (Calgary, AB) and Grant O’Gorman (Scarborough, ON). The duo won a silver medal in 2019 on the World Tour on home soil, in Edmonton, Alberta.

Currently, Pavan and Humana-Paredes are the lone team guaranteed a spot in the 2020 Olympics, due to their World Championship victory. The duos of Bansley and Wilkerson and Schachter and Pedlow are currently holding a spot that would qualify them if they can maintain their rankings until the cut off of June 14, 2020. Saxton and O’Gorman are currently on the outside looking in, but not by much. A strong start to the 2020 season could push them into an Olympic berth.

Women’s A (Senior) Team:
Sarah Pavan (Kitchener, ON)
Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto, ON)
Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON)
Brandie Wilkerson (Toronto, ON)

Men’s A (Senior) Team:
Sam Schachter (Richmond Hill, ON)
Sam Pedlow (Barrie, ON)
Ben Saxton (Calgary, AB)
Grant O’Gorman (Scarborough, ON)

Women’s B (Next Gen) Team:
Nicole McNamara (Vancouver, BC)
Megan McNamara (Vancouver, BC)
Shanice Marcelle (Victoria, BC)
Julie Gordon (Barrie, ON)
Amanda Harnett (Burlington, ON)
Alina Dormann (Ottawa, ON)
Marie-Christine Lapointe (St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC)
Molly McBain (Toronto, ON)

Men’s B (Next Gen) Team:
Aaron Nusbaum (Aurora, ON)
Mike Plantinga (Langley, BC)
Liam Kopp (St. Catharines, ON)
Jake MacNeil (Georgetown, ON)
Sergiy Grabovsky (Aurora, ON)
Chris Towe (Caledon, ON)
Ivan Reka (Longueuil, QC)
Alex Russell (Surrey, BC)
Will Hoey (Brampton, ON)

Women’s Summer Program National Team:
Anna Licht (Toronto, ON)
Laura Condotta (Etobicoke, ON)
Devon May (Roberts Creek, BC)
Rian Lenarduzzi (Barrie, ON)
Becky Tresham (Bradford, ON)
Lea Monkhouse (Mississauga, ON)

Men’s Summer Program National Team:
Yoan David (Gatineau, QC)
Mitchell Neuert (Toronto, ON)
Guillaume Rivest (Saint-Felix-de-Valois, QC)
Evan Falardeau (Stratford, ON)
Hugo Rosso (Montreal, QC)

Photo : FIVB/Rob Hislop

Volleyball Canada media contact:
Jackie Skender jskender@volleyball.ca
Mobile: 613-794-7676