With the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials quickly approaching, TSN.ca will profile one men’s team and one women’s team each day before the first rocks fly on Nov. 22 at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
Team Selena Sturmay
Lineup
Skip: Selena Sturmay (Age 27)
Third/Vice-Skip: Danielle Schmiemann (29)
Second: Dezaray Hawes (28)
Lead: Paige Papley (26)
Coach: Ted Appelman
Curling Club: Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton
2025-26 Season
Events: 5 Record: 17-11 World Ranking: 34th
Highlights: Team Sturmay won the Home Hardware Canadian Pre-Trials in late October, posting an overall record of 7-3 at the event. Their next best showing was a quarterfinal appearance at the Saville Grand Prix in mid-September.
How They Qualified
Qualified via the Home Hardware Canadian Pre-Trials by beating Team Kayla MacMillan 2-1 in a best-of-three final.
Trials Schedule
Nov. 22 – Kayla Skrlik
Nov. 23 – Kaitlyn Lawes, Kate Cameron
Nov. 24 – Rachel Homan
Nov. 25 – Kerri Einarson, Christina Black
Nov. 26 – Corryn Brown
Expert Analysis from TSN’s Cathy Gauthier
Team Sturmay will have a successful week at the Canadian Curling Trials if...
“They limit big ends and keep games close. Team Sturmay needs to show patience with a splash of courage late in games.”
Team Story
Selena Sturmay and her Edmonton-based rink were the last team to qualify for the Canadian Curling Trials after beating Team Kayla McMillan in the best-of-three Pre-Trials final.
“Feeling everything right now,” said Sturmay after the win. “My team played amazing all week. I have to give full credit to them. They made my job really easy out there. Just wanted to say thank you to them. Really looking forward to the trials.”
They enter the event ranked 34th in the world and 11th in Canada.
Team Sturmay has been either hot or cold the past few seasons, struggling to remain consistent.
In 2023-24, Sturmay and company put together a terrific season, highlighted by multiple final appearances and a win at the Alberta playdowns. As the host team at the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Team Sturmay advanced all the way to the 3 vs. 4-page playoff after a strong 7-1 round robin.
Last season was a struggle as the foursome finished under .500 and missed the Scotties playoffs with a 4-4 record. They may have missed nationals all together if not for their automatic entry following the breakup of Team Chelsea Carey.
The 2025-26 campaign has been a mixed bag too with only two playoff appearances across the six events. They are 3-3 against Trials team, including 0-2 against Team Kerri Einarson.
Team Sturmay is fully capable of competing for a playoff spot if they play up to their capabilities. We’ll have to wait and see if they’re able to meet the moment in Halifax against a stacked field.
