Brandie Wilkerson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brandie Wilkerson |
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Wilkerson in 2017
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 1, 1992 Lausanne, Switzerland |
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| Hometown | Toronto, Ontario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College(s) | York University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beach volleyball information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Right side/blocker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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International medals
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| Last updated: January 14, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brandie Wilkerson, born on July 1, 1992, is a Canadian beach volleyball star. She plays as a right-side blocker. She currently teams up with Melissa Humaña-Paredes. Together, they won a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
With her former partner Heather Bansley, Brandie reached the No. 1 world ranking in November 2018. She was also named the 2018 FIVB Best Blocker. Bansley and Wilkerson represented Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Later, Brandie played with Sophie Bukovec for one season. This duo won a silver medal at the 2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships.
Contents
Brandie Wilkerson's Early Life
Brandie Wilkerson was born in Switzerland. She moved to Canada when she was seven years old. Her father, Herb Johnson, was a professional basketball player. He played in many countries like France, Spain, and Switzerland. Brandie's mother, Stephanie, was a national runner from Switzerland. She also finished the Ironman competition twice.
University Volleyball Career
Brandie played university volleyball for the York Lions from 2010 to 2014. In her first year, 2010–11, she was named York's top female rookie. She was also the OUA rookie of the year for women's volleyball.
In the 2011–12 season, Brandie was an OUA first-team all-star. She was also a CIS second-team All-Canadian. She led the OUA in points scored per set. She earned these same awards again in the 2012–13 season. In her final year, 2013–14, an injury limited her to 11 matches. Despite this, she was still named an OUA East second-team all-star.
International Beach Volleyball
Partnering with Heather Bansley
Wilkerson and Bansley first played together in Toronto in September 2016. They finished 9th in that tournament. In 2018, they had a fantastic year. They ended the season ranked No. 1 on the FIVB world tour.
Brandie and Heather were chosen for the Canadian Olympic team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They were one of two Canadian teams in the women's tournament. They had a tough start in Tokyo, losing two games and winning one. However, they still made it to the knockout rounds. In the Round of 16, they surprised everyone by beating the strong American team. They then faced Latvia in the quarter-finals. They were eliminated after a close match.
Playing with Sophie Bukovec
After the 2021 season, Brandie and Heather decided to end their partnership. Brandie then announced she would play with Sophie Bukovec. They started playing on the 2022 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour in March. They worked hard to improve their game.
At the 2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Rome, they had an amazing run. They reached the women's tournament final. They won a silver medal, losing to a Brazilian team. Brandie said they wanted gold, but were happy with their progress. They finished their season after a tournament in Paris in September.
Teaming up with Melissa Humana-Paredes
On November 1, 2022, Brandie announced a new partnership. She teamed up with Melissa Humana-Paredes. Melissa was a former teammate from their time at York University. This new team quickly found success. In 2023, they played in ten tournaments. They never finished lower than fifth place.
At the 2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships in October, they won five matches in a row. They did not lose a single set. However, they were stopped in the quarter-finals by an Australian team.
Brandie and Melissa then joined Canada's team for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago. They were the co-flagbearers for Canada in the opening ceremony. They reached the tournament final, where they again lost to the Brazilian team.
2024 Summer Olympics Silver Medal
In June 2024, Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson were officially named to the Canadian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The Olympic tournament started tough for them. They lost their first two games. But they made it to the knockout stage through a "lucky loser" playoff.
They then pulled off upset victories in the Round of 16 and the quarter-finals. They became the first Canadian team to reach the semi-finals of an Olympic women's volleyball tournament. In the semi-final, they faced a strong Swiss team. The Swiss team had not lost a set in the tournament. Brandie and Melissa fought hard, winning a tiebreaker round. This win qualified them for the championship match against the Brazilian team.
The championship match was very exciting. It went to three sets, which was a first for Olympic women's beach volleyball. The Brazilians won, but Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson proudly took home the silver medal. Melissa's father, Hernán, who coached a bronze medal team in 1996, said their silver medal would have an even bigger impact on the sport in Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Brandie Wilkerson para niños
