IFAF 2019 Women’s European Championships: Meet Team Sweden
Team Sweden heads into the IFAF 2019 Women’s European Championships August 12-17 at John Charles Stadium in Leeds, England with a great deal of optimism
Although Team Sweden finished a disappointing sixth in the 2015 European Championships in Spain, narrowly defeated by the hosts in their final game, the Swedish women’s program has continued to be active playing against the reigning European Champions, Finland, each year.
They have yet to get the better of their Baltic neighbors, but they’ve continued to close the gap – especially in recent seasons, when the blue and gold side came up just a single point shy against the Finns in 2018.
Sweden’s first game gets underway Monday, August 12, against hosts, Great Britain, at 7 pm (8pm CEDT). The countries have met three times before and Great Britain has won each time, 27-10 in 2013, 26-14 2014 and 30-14 2015.
After Great Britain, familiar foes Team Finland await, on August 14, before Sweden winds up the tournament on August 17 against Austria. The tournament is played as a ’round robin’ group, where the winner with the best record takes home the European gold – meaning that at least two victories will be required to compete for the gold, a difficult but far from impossible task for the Swedes.
All the games will also be broadcast live on Youtube and Facebook
Coach Forsman:
“It has been a long and difficult process to get the final squad where there has been incredible evenness between many players and we really had to go through all aspects before we made the decisions.
There has been incredible competition for roster spots building up to this tournament and I am grateful for how many players have been available to make this trip as part of the National Team. We have a really strong team and I look forward to the challenges during the European Championships.”
The Swedish Finalists Carlstad Crusaders and Örebro Black Knights are well represented in the Swedish squad, between them providing 27 of the 43 players.
Team Sweden Roster:
| QB | Linda Johansson | Carlstad Crusaders |
| QB | Mallory Fraiche | Jönköping Spartans |
| RB | Anna Hedström | Carlstad Crusaders |
| RB | Minmin Zhao | Örebro Black Knights |
| RB | Moa Toll | Arlanda Jets |
| FB | Sara Lidner | Örebro Black Knights |
| FB | Elin Luuk | Örebro Black Knights |
| WR | Teresia Keskitalo | Örebro Black Knight |
| WR | Moa Hansson | Carlstad Crusaders |
| WR | Emma Sandsjö | Carlstad Crusaders / Skövde Dukes |
| WR | Karin Ullen | Carlstad Crusaders |
| WR | Hanna Karlsson | Jönköping Spartans |
| WR | Natalie Bengtsson | Carlstad Crusaders |
| WR | Sara Wikström | Jönköping Spartans |
| OL | Alexandra Thörnstrand | Örebro Black Knights |
| OL | Julia Olsson | Kristianstad Predators |
| OL | Angelica Tingstad | Örebro Black Knights |
| OL | Johanna Enoksson | Örebro Black Knights |
| OL | Frida Olsson Granlund | Carlstad Crusaders |
| OL | Ida Handel | Carlstad Crusaders |
| OL | Dessire Strömberg | Carlstad Crusaders |
| DT | Johanna Aspenberg | Örebro Black Knights |
| DT | Mathilda Thörnblad | Jönköping Spartans |
| DT | Jonna Didriksson | Carlstad Crusaders |
| DT | Linn Stridsman | Arlanda Jets |
| DT | Caroline Dahlen | Örebro Black Knights |
| THE | Elin Thimfors | Carlstad Crusaders |
| THE | Yasmin El Messaoudi | Arlanda Jets |
| THE | Marie Mardirossian | Örebro Black Knights |
| THE | Veronika Nikeus | Örebro Black Knights |
| LB | Tove Hedengren | Örebro Black Knights |
| LB | Alma Gustavsson | Carlstad Crusaders |
| LB | Jenika Hedman | Örebro Black Knights |
| LB | Heidi Svensson Duric | Jönköping Spartans |
| LB | Matilda Svensson Duric | Jönköping Spartans |
| LB | Gabriella Brönnegård | Arlanda Jets |
| DB | Elin Persson | Örebro Black Knights |
| DB | Hedvig Palocci | Arlanda Jets |
| DB | Tilde Vitek | Örebro Black Knights |
| DB | Jenny Gramenius | Arlanda Jets |
| DB | Amanda Åslund | Arlanda Jets |
| DB | Sabina Rydberg | Arlanda Jets |
| DB | Rebecka Winberg | Utah Falcon |
