CALGARY – National Women’s Team general manager Melody Davidson announced Thursday that Stephanie White (Toronto, ON/Ryerson University, CIS) will serve as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for the 2008-09 season, including a three-game series vs. the USA’s Women’s Under-18 Select Team in Lake Placid, NY in late August, and the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship, January 5-10, 2009 in Füssen, Germany.

In addition, it was announced that Danielle Goyette (St-Nazaire, QC/University of Calgary, ACAC) and Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, QC/Hockey Canada) will join White behind the bench as assistant coaches.

“The three coaches we have named today all have years of experience in Canada’s National Women’s Program, either as a coach or as a player,” said Davidson. “We feel we have chosen three exceptional coaches to help continue the development of Canada’s up and coming female players.”

White, who was announced as the head coach of the women’s hockey team at Ryerson University on April 2nd, spent the 2007-08 season with the Mississauga Chiefs of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), leading the Chiefs to a gold medal at the 2008 Esso Women’s Nationals in Charlottetown, PE, and a runner-up finish in the CWHL playoffs. She also served as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team, helping the team to a 7-0 record – the first perfect season in the history of the under-22 program – and a gold medal at the Air Canada Cup in January in Ravensburg, Germany. White spent time as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team in 2006-07, winning a gold medal at the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Winnipeg, MB. Her coaching résumé also includes a gold medal with Team Ontario Red at the January 2005 National Women’s Under-18 Championship and a gold medal with Team Ontario at the 2003 Ontario Winter Games.

Goyette returns for her second season as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team after completing her first season as the head coach of the women’s hockey team at the University of Calgary – she won a silver medal as an assistant coach at the 2008 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in early January in Calgary, AB. As a player, Goyette won eight IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals and two Olympic gold medals during 16 years with the National Women’s Team, finishing her career as Canada’s second all-time leading scorer – 114 goals, 105 assists and 219 points in 172 games.

Ouellette just completed her second season as an assistant coach with the women’s hockey team at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, helping the Bulldogs win the 2008 NCAA championship. Still an active player, she has spent nine seasons with Canada’s National Women’s Team, winning five IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals and two Olympic gold medals. Ouellette sits fifth in all-time National Women’s Team scoring, with 142 points (56 goals, 86 assists) in 130 games.

The coaching staff, along with Davidson and Canada’s scouting staff, will work together to choose Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for the 2008-09 season. Forty-two players will gather in Calgary for the National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, July 18-27 in Calgary, AB.

The roster for the selection camp will be announced on Friday, July 11.