Rising Junior Heads to Olympics with Team Canada

'O Canada, Kia Nurse will stand on guard for thee.' The guard for UConn women's basketball rounds out Canada's Olympic team.

UConn's Kia Nurse will play for Team Canada in the 2016 Olympics.

UConn's Kia Nurse will play for Team Canada in the 2016 Olympics.

UConn women’s basketball junior Kia Nurse of Ontario has been selected to represent Team Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio as announced by the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Basketball Friday.

A first-time Olympic team member, Nurse will join seven athletes who competed in London in 2012 to round out the 12-woman roster. The Hamilton, Ontario native is the only NCAA athlete represented on Team Canada 2016 roster.

“We’re extremely proud of these 12 athletes and what they’ve sacrificed and accomplished to get to Rio,” head coach Lisa Thomaidis said, “we’re ready to take that passion and dedication to the world stage and continue to make Canada proud to support our team.”

The women’s Olympic basketball tournament runs August 6-21 with the preliminary competition taking place at the Youth Arena in the Deodoro Olympic Park and the quarter final and medal games taking place at the Carioca Arena in the Barra Olympic Park.