TORONTO, Ont. – On Wednesday, U SPORTS announced the coaching staff that will lead Canada in women's soccer at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Napoli, Italy.

Peyvand Mossavat from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has been appointed head coach of the red and white squad for the third straight Summer Universiade. He will be joined on the sidelines by assistant coaches Jose-Luis Valdes from McGill University and Cindy Tye from Dalhousie University.

The 30th Summer Universiade is set for July 3-14.

Mossavat, in his seventh season at the helm of UOIT's women's program after previous stops at Ryerson and York, led the Ridgebacks to the best record in program history and UOIT's first OUA championship in 2016. The program has also qualified for the final four in three of its first six seasons. Over the years, he has guided numerous Ontario provincial teams and has been an assistant coach with the women's National Training Centre.

A remarkable player in his own right, Mossavat is a former member of the Canadian Olympic program and competed at the 1993 Summer Universiade in Buffalo. At the professional level, he was a five-time all-star in the Canadian Soccer League.  

"I'm honoured to be part of the next coaching staff that leads the Canadian women's soccer team into the next world university games," said Mossavat. "As a coaching staff we'll be looking to bring together the best collegiate players in the country to best represent U SPORTS programs internationally. It is great to have Jose back as a member of the coaching staff, someone that has played such a large role in the positive direction we've gone at FISU, but we're also looking forward to having Cindy join us and bring her experience as a former Canadian international player and coach to the Games and our staff."

At the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea, the Canadian women finished in fourth place out of 15 teams – their highest finish at the FISU Games – conceding the bronze medal game to Japan. They followed that with a final eight finish in Taipei in 2017.

The all-U SPORTS Canadian roster for the Napoli Games will be announced at a later date.

Canada finished in 16^th overall at the 2017 FISU Summer Universiade in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei with 13 medals (four gold, five silver, four bronze). This year's event is slated for Naples Italy, July 3-14.
 

2019 COACHING STAFF

Head coach: Peyvand Mossavat (University of Ontario Institute of Technology - UOIT)
Assistant coach: Jose-Luis Valdes (McGill University)
Assistant coach: Cindy Tye (Dalhousie University)
Athletic therapist: Charlotte Vallières-Villeneuve (Laval)
 

WOMEN'S SOCCER RESULTS

2017 (Taipei City, Chinese Taipei): 8th / 13 teams
2015 (Gwangju, South Korea): 4th / 15
2013 (Kazan, Russia): 10th / 12
2011 (Shenzhen, China): 5th / 12
2009 (Belgrade, Serbia): 7th / 16
2007 (Bangkok, Thailand): 10th / 16
2005 (Izmir, Turkey): 5th / 12
2003 (Daegu, South Korea): 10th / 12
2001 (Beijing, China): 11th / 12
1993 (Buffalo, USA): 5th / 6
 
Women's soccer made its Universiade debut as a demonstration sport at the 1993 Buffalo Games, when the tournament was held in Hamilton, Ont. The sport returned as an official Universiade discipline in 2001.