July 2, 2015 Gwangju, South Korea - Five Villanova student-athletes are set to represent their respective countries in the 2015 World University games in Gwangju, South Korea beginning July 3rd and culminating on July 14th. Also known as "Universiade", the World University Games is the largest international sporting event outside of the Olympics.
Kaisla Kollanus (Finland/Swimming), Alexandra Wasik (USA/Track and Field), Stephanie Schappert (USA/Track and Field), Angel Piccirillo (USA/Track and Field) and Rob Denault (Canada/Track and Field) will participate in the biannual international event that promotes the development of education, culture, friendship and sportsmanship through sport. Eligible participants are between the ages of 17 and 28, enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students or have just graduated from their respective universities.
Kollanus (Finland/Swimming) will represent Finland in the 50m and 100m butterfly following a successful junior season with the Wildcats swimming and diving team. Following the conclusion of the season, Kollanus was named the 2015 BIG EAST Championship Women's Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet. Additionally, she was named to the 2015 All-BIG EAST team for her top-three finishes in seven events at the league championship. She won three events at the conference championship (50, 100 and 200 freestyle) and set a program record in the 100m to conclude the season.
"I'm very honored for the chance to represent my country at the World University Games", said Kollanus. "I'm happy with my 2014-15 season and I'm looking to maintain the same `flow' at the World University Games."
Denault (Canada/Track) is set to represent Canada in the 1500m after concluding his junior year on the Villanova cross country and track and field teams. Denault was one of the elite 1500m runners on a stacked Villanova squad and made the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship 1500m final just a few weeks ago in Eugene, Ore. where he finished 12th in the nation. Denault, a sub-four minute miler, was a Second Team All-America honoree for the outdoor season and also earned All-BIG EAST and All-Mid Atlantic Region laurels in cross country.
"I'd like to make it into the final and compete with some strong international athletes," said Denault. "I'll be taking what I've learned from my experiences at Penn Relays, BIG EAST and NCAAs and apply them to my race in Korea. Overall, I'm looking to soak it all in and have fun competing."
Wasik (USA/Track & Field), Schappert (USA/Track & Field), Piccirillo (USA/Track & Field) are all members of Team USA Track and Field for the upcoming international competition. Wasik will be competing in pole vault while Schappert and Piccirillo will make their marks in the distance events (800m,1500m) for the Stars and Stripes.
Wasik concluded her Villanova career as the school record holder in pole vault for both indoor and outdoor competition. She is the reigning BIG EAST Indoor Champion and hopes to achieve the Olympic `B' standard of 14'1 during the upcoming games. Following the Universiade, Wasik plans on continuing her training post-collegiately at the University of Tennessee under former Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack.
Schappert and Piccirillo both return to the track following their appearances in the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship and USA Championships held in Eugene, Ore. Schappert concluded an outstanding Villanova career this past season where she placed 6th in the 1500m at the NCAA Championships. Additionally, she was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Track Athlete of the Year and was a First Team All-American in the 1500m at the conclusion of the 2015 outdoor season.
Piccirillo will return for her senior season at Villanova following the World University Games in Korea. She was named the 2015 Penn Relays Athlete of the Meet for the relay events and is the reigning 800m BIG EAST Champion. Additionally, Piccirillo earned Second Team All-America honors in the 1500m for her performance in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship where she made her second-straight appearance. She recorded a personal-best time of 4:14:39 in the 1500m at the Payton Jordan Invitational earlier this season.
