CALGARY, ALBERTA - Canada's National Women's Team's final roster has been named for the 2000 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship, the Canadian Hockey Association announced on Monday.

Head Coach Melody Davidson and assistant coaches Karen Hughes and Wally Kozak have assembled a roster that includes 4 players who will be participating in their first World Championship, 16 members of last years' gold medal winning World Championship team, 11 players who won a silver medal with Canada at 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and one player, Geraldine Heaney, vying for her 6th consecutive World Championship title.

"We're very pleased with the roster we have assembled," said Melody Davidson, Head Coach, National Women's Team." We have a great mix of veteran players and very exciting new players ready and able to make their mark at this level. "

2000 National Women's Team Roster for 2000 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship

Goaltenders : Sami Jo Small (Winnipeg, MB); Kim St-Pierre (Châteauguay, QC);

Defence : Therese Brisson (Montréal, QC), Delaney Collins (Pilot Mound, MB), Geraldine Heaney (Weston, ON), Becky Kellar (Hagersville, ON), Cheryl Pounder (Mississauga, ON) , Natalie Rivard (Cumberland, QC)

Forwards : Dana Antal (Esterhazy, SK), Kelly Béchard (Sedley, SK), Jennifer Botterill (Winnipeg, MB), Cassie Campbell (Brampton, ON), Nancy Drolet (Drummondville, QC), Lori Dupuis (Cornwall, ON), Danielle Goyette (St-Nazaire, QC), Jayna Hefford (Kingston, ON), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC), Tammy Shewchuk (St-Laurent, QC), Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON), Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunovan, SK)

Canada has won five consecutive World Championships, compiling a 25-0-0 record over that time.

Canada's National Women's Team will get together in Sarnia, ON on March 26, 2000 for a pre-competition camp which will include exhibition games on March 29th in Kitchener, ON against Germany and on April 1st in Sarnia, ON against Sweden. The team will arrive in Mississauga on April 2nd and will play it's first game on Monday, April 3rd against Japan at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.

The 2000 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship runs from April 3-9, 2000 in Mississauga, ON and in a number of surrounding communities. Ticket packages are now available through all Ticketmaster outlets in Ontario (416-872-5000) or by contacting the Ontario Women's Hockey Association at 905-282-9711