Thomaidis out as Canadian coach
Lisa Thomaidis, who helped guide the Canadian women’s basketball team to a top-four world ranking, is out as the team’s head coach.
The native of Dundas, and Canada Basketball announced Tuesday they have “mutually agreed” to part ways after Thomaidis’s eight-year career at the helm of the team.
Canada is ranked No. 4 in the world but comes off a disappointing run at the Tokyo Olympics, where the women failed to advance out of the group stage. Canada had finished in the top eight at the 2012 London Olympics under head coach Allison McNeill and 2016 in Rio under Thomaidis.
“We both recognize that this is a necessary step that our program must make in our continued pursuit of a place on the podium at the highest of international competitions, as well as for Lisa, both personally and professionally,” Denise Dignard, executive vice-president for women’s high performance with Canada Basketball, said in a release.
The 49-year-old Thomaidis is also the head coach at the University of Saskatchewan and led the Huskies to national championships in 2016 and 2020. She is a two-time winner of the national coach of the year award in U Sports.
“Our accomplishments have been historic and ones that took working with a true team to achieve,” she said. “As I step aside, I do so with immense pride and satisfaction.”