With a spot in the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts up for grabs, an astonishing 14 current and former Pandas will compete this week at the Sentinel Storage Alberta Scotties in Wetaskiwin. 

Eight teams will compete for the right to represent Alberta at the 2023 Canadian Championship in Kamloops in February. Of the eight teams competing, six have at least one current or former Panda in their rotation. 

Even more astonishing is the qualification of the Pandas Junior team into the Alberta Scotties, marking the first time in program history the junior team has made it this far in the provincial playdowns. The Pandas Juniors, led by skip Gracelyn Richards, features three first-year UAlberta students. Joining Richards this week will be third Rachel Jacques, second Amy Wheatcroft, and lead Anna Munroe. Munroe previously qualified for the Scotties with Team Quebec in 2019. 
 

TOURNAMENT SCORES

Two other teams are skipped by former Pandas; Kelsey Rocque leads a squad of all former Pandas — with alumnae Danielle Schmiemann, Rachelle Brown and Dana Ferguson also on her rink. 2020 U SPORTS Championship skip Selena Sturmay also leads her own rink, with fellow alumnae Kate Goodhelpsen playing second. 

Additionally, Kristen Streifel will play third on Team Hunkin, Taylor McDonald will play lead on Team Scheidegger, and Jamie Scott will play second on Team Stiksma. 

The round robin will run from January 18th to 21st at Co-Op Place (Formerly the Wetaskiwin Civic Centre), with the semifinal and final scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.