After one of the most dominant freshman seasons in program history, Cearah Parchment is turning her basketball career up a notch. Canada Basketball announced Friday that the Illinois forward has been selected to the Senior Women’s National Team training camp roster as the program begins preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament.
At just 18 years old, Parchment is the youngest player invited to the 17-player camp in Montréal, which is a testament to how great her first
year in the orange and blue truly was.
After a historic freshman year in Champaign, this invitation comes as no surprise. The Whitby, Ontario native averaged 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting an eye-opening 49.7 percent from three-point range. By season’s end, she had broken Illinois’ freshman scoring record with 463 points, set a new freshman rebounding record with 252 boards, and established a program freshman record with 12 double-doubles.
Her performances become even more impressive when you realize who she was posting it against.
Parchment scored a career-high 26 points against No. 2 UCLA and followed it up with 25 points and 11 rebounds against No. 24 Nebraska. She earned three Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors and helped Illinois secure one of the biggest wins in program history, recording 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in a stunning upset of No. 7 Maryland.
By the end of the year, she had become a unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition, and was named one of ESPN’s most impactful freshmen in the nation.
While Parchment’s rise is uberly impressive, this isn’t her first success on the international stage.
Before her arrival in Champaign, Parchment has competed in three FIBA youth tournaments, helping Canada earn silver medals at both the 2023 FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
In the U16 Americas Championship, Parchment averaged 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while earning a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Five. Most recently, she helped Canada finish fourth at the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup while averaging 8.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest.
The call-up is a milestone not only for Parchment, but also for Illinois women’s basketball. Under Shauna Green, the Illini have steadily elevated their national profile, and Parchment’s inclusion on a senior national team roster is another sign of the program’s growing ability to attract and develop elite talent.
It will be fascinating to watch Parchment’s sophomore season unfold as she balances leading Illinois with pursuing a spot on Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team.
