Washington Mystics rookie Aaliyah Edwards added another accolade Tuesday when she was named to the Canadian national team for this summer’s Paris Olympics.
The Connecticut product, who is averaging six rebounds and almost nine points a game for the Mystics this season, will join fellow Canadian WNBA players Laeticia Amihere, Bridget Carleton and Kia Nurse later this month during the league’s Olympic break.
This year’s competition will mark the second Olympics for the 21-year-old Edwards — she was with Team Canada in Tokyo three years ago when they earned a ninth-place finish.
“My first Olympics, I was the youngest on the team, and I was kind of new to that whole play and in that whole Olympics environment,” Edwards told CBC. “I think now, understanding the process of actually qualifying for Olympics and going through all that with the senior women’s national team, I understand the stakes of what each game comes to.”
The Canadian women are ranked fifth in the FIBA world rankings ahead of this month’s Games. They’ve never finished better than fourth at the Olympics, but coach Victor Lapeña said the team has its eyes on a medal this summer.
“After finishing fourth in the last World Cup, we’re looking to take that next step as a program,” Lapeña said in a statement. “Eight players on the team have previously represented Canada at the Olympic Games, and this experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable. … We will continue to prioritize getting better as a group every day until the end of the Olympics.”
Edwards and her Canadian teammates will open group play on July 29 against France.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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