A Rising Star Gets Her Shot
Cearah Parchment, an 18‑year‑old forward from Whitby, Ontario, has been selected for the Canada Basketball Senior Women's National Team training camp, marking her first call‑up to the senior squad.
During her freshman year at the University of Illinois she set new program benchmarks, scoring 463 points to break the all‑time freshman record and grabbing 252 rebounds for a single‑season rebounding record, while averaging 13.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.4 assists per game.
Her rapid development was recognized with three Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards and a unanimous spot on the Big Ten All‑Freshman Team, and she previously earned silver medals with Canada at the 2023 FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup.
Camp in Montreal and the Road to Guadalajara
The training camp runs from June 20 to 28 in Montréal and serves as a key stepping stone for Canada's preparations for the FIBA Women's Olympic Pre‑Qualifying Tournament 2026 in Guadalajara, Mexico, where a top finish would secure a direct berth to the 2028 qualifying events.
Canada currently sits seventh in the FIBA World Ranking Women, and the coaching staff sees Parchment's versatility and defensive instincts as valuable assets as they aim to climb the rankings and qualify for the Olympics.
Looking Ahead to Guadalajara
The winner of the Guadalajara tournament will advance directly to the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in March 2028, making the upcoming camp an essential audition for players vying for a place on the roster that could shape Canada's Olympic destiny.