SASKATOON – A total of six members of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's soccer team will get the chance to gain some experience at the next level this Summer, as they prepare for a slate of games in a pair of different leagues.
 
"The great thing is that there is a desire within our players to challenge themselves and to keep growing," said Huskies head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton. "To have those six players have that mindset speaks to what we are building as a program and these moments of players challenging themselves to keep getting better is exciting for me as a coach."
 
Staying in Saskatchewan and playing for Queen City United of the United Women's Soccer league will be: Kalli Cowles, Hannah Gannitsos-Clark, Maya Gabruch, Taneil Gay and Payton Izsak.
 
The core of a young team that made it to the Canada West quarter-final stage last season, those five athletes will play against some of the top university talent in North America. With teams ranging from Calgary to California in their division, they will go head-to-head with players from both the U SPORTS and NCAA ranks.
 
This will be the first season in the UWS for Queen City, as they become just the second Canadian team to compete in the league. In total 13 of the 20 players on the team compete for either the University of Saskatchewan or Regina.
 
"I am very excited and honoured to play with and against some top competition in this league," said Gabruch. "Being placed in new and tough situations will allow me to expand my game and make me a more adaptable player. This is all so new to me because growing up there was never any opportunity like this in the province. This shows the positive development and growing opportunities for female soccer players in our province." 
 
Cowles, a defender, started 13 games between the regular season and playoffs last year. The third year from Prince Albert helped solidify the Huskie defence while also adding one goal and two assists.
 
Fourth-year forward Gannitsos-Clark appeared in 14 games last season, firing 15 shots towards goal.
 
Gabruch started all 16 regular season and playoffs games for the Huskies in 2018, finishing the year with one goal, one assist and 12 shots on net.
 
Attacking midfielder Gay found the back of the net twice last season, while also helping set up two more goals for the Huskies. In her three years with the team, the product of Regina has tallied eight goals and nine assists.
 
Rounding out the Huskie contingent on the Queen City United will be 2018-19 Huskie Athletics Female Rookie of the Year winner Payton Izsak. In just her first year with the Huskies Izsak recorded five points, including tallying both goals in the team's Canada West play-in game upset victory over the Victoria Vikes.
 
"It's very exciting to have a group of Huskies here because each one of us learns differently and picks up new qualities of our own," said Gabruch. "With five players here, and with each of us bringing something different back home, it is sure to elevate our game with the Huskies."
 
Also playing throughout the Summer will be second-year defender Jacqueline Altrogge. Originally from Saskatoon, Altrogge will head across the Atlantic Ocean where she will play for Lorby IF in Sweden.
 
The first game for Queen City United gets underway this Sunday in Regina at 1:00 p.m. and the Huskies appear poised to make an immediate impact for the Saskatchewan-based squad.

"Our players having to learn to adapt to a different environment and different needs from a team is great." Said Barandica-Hamilton. "A different caliber of competition is only going to make them better and that's the key aspect, it helps them grow as players and as people."