Four members of the Meadow Ridge Moose will suit up for a team representing the South Coast Women’s Hockey League to play an exhibition game against Team Shenzen of China on Sunday, Aug. 19 at UBC.
Team Shenzen, a Team China Olympic Development squad funded by Kunlun Red Star, is comprised of North American Chinese college and high school players.
They will face-off against the SCWHL Selects at 7 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the Father David Bauer Arena.
One of the Moose players Payge Pena, a forward who capped a four-year career with the St. Cloud State Huskies in Minnesota in the spring of 2017. She was on the All-WCHA Academic Team for four consecutive seasons and was the SCWHL Outstanding Player this past season.
Madeline Cockerill, Kirsten Langston and Jade Werger of the Moose will also play for the Selects, headed by Moose head coach Gregg Cockrill and Moose assistant Todd Langston.
After their games against the SCWHL Selects, Team Shenzen will play three games against the UBC Thunderbirds as part of a summer camp in Vancouver.
“At the end of the camp they go back to their respective club or college teams. We will be holding another camp in December and a final camp before the World Championships,” said Rob Morgan, general manager of the Kunlun Red Star and Chinese national women’s teams.
“These camps are all part of the North American Chinese development and evaluation process as we prepare for Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.”
The South Coast Women’s Hockey League is a nine-team senior AA league, and its select team will feature several former NCAA and U Sports players.
Others suiting up for the Selects will be goaltender Cassidy Hendricks of the North Shore Rebels, who left the Saskatoon Huskies following the 2016-17 season as the team’s all-time leader in conference wins (57), saves (2,818) and minutes played (6,973). She also held the Canada West conference record for most minutes played.
South Fraser TNT defender Hayley Callison is a former captain of the UBC T-Birds, and went on to play in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League with the Toronto Furies.
The SCWHL hosted Team China for three games in October 2016. Team China swept all three games, defeating the Richmond Devils 2-1, the South Fraser TNT 3-0 and the SCWHL Selects 3-1.
