Ashley Stephenson, a long-time player and coach with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 baseball team, is joining the Toronto Blue JaysB次元官网网址� organization as a coach.

Stephenson has been added to the Vancouver CanadianB次元官网网址檚 coaching staff for the upcoming Minor League Baseball season. The Canadians are the Blue JaysB次元官网网址� High-A affiliate are currently the only MiLB team based in Canada.

Stephenson, 40, spent 15 years as a player with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 national team, helping Canada win three bronze and one silver medal at the WomenB次元官网网址檚 Baseball World Cup and silver at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games.

After finishing her playing career, she joined Canada as a coach in 2019 and helped the team to a bronze medal at the WomenB次元官网网址檚 Pan-American Championships that year.

In 2022, she became the first woman to manage the womenB次元官网网址檚 national team program when Canada played a five-game series against the United States in Thunder Bay, Ont.

She became first woman to coach at the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase in Ottawa in September.

She was the first woman to capture Baseball CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award in November.

A two-sport athlete, the native of Mississauga, Ont., also played hockey in the National WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League and its successor, the Canadian WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League, from 2005 to 2012.

B次元官网网址淚 am really excited for this opportunity,B次元官网网址� Stephenson said in a release. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e loved baseball and the Blue Jays since I was three years old, and never really imagined that IB次元官网网址檇 be able to have a career in the game let alone with my favourite team.B次元官网网址�