Sept. 9, 2009

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Illinois catcher Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ontario) has been named to the Canadian Senior National Team that will compete in the 38th International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Cup beginning Thursday. Canada will face Korea in Pool C action Thursday in Sundbyberg, Sweden, at noon CT.

Robinson was selected to the Senior National Team after a stellar 2009 campaign at Triple-A Iowa in which he was named a midseason Pacific Coast League All-Star as well as Iowa's Most Valuable Player. He hit .326, best among all I-Cubs who played in over half the team's games, with two homers, 22 doubles, three triples, 48 RBIs and 37 runs. He also was a wall behind the plate, committing only one error in 91 games.

After opening the tournament against Korea, Canada will face the Netherlands Antilles on Friday at noon and will finish Pool C action Saturday at noon against Sweden. If it finishes in the top two spots in the pool, Canada will go to Rome, Italy, and if it finishes third in its pool, Canada will travel to Amsterdam, Netherlands. A fourth-place finish would mean the end of the tournament for the Canadians.

The Baseball World Cup began in 1938 and, along with the World Baseball Classic, is one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship.