Leedham Named Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

Two-year Franklin Pierce captain ready to move leadership role from court to sideline

RINDGE, N.H. (June 12, 2009) - Franklin Pierce University has announced that recent graduate Jennifer Leedham will return to campus and serve as assistant coach with the women's basketball team. The announcement was made today by Steve Hancock, who was named head coach yesterday, and confirmed by Bruce Kirsh, Vice President and Director of Athletics, at the University.

"I am really excited about the opportunity to continue and work with Jen in a coaching role," said Hancock. "It's going to be fun to see her take her leadership abilities from the court to the sidelines. I'd certainly rather have her out there on the court, but she has a bright future in coaching ahead of her and I'm happy to have her as my assistant coach."

Leedham will look to take her leadership qualities which were so valuable to Franklin Pierce women's basketball team over the last four years and bring them to the sidelines in a coaching capacity. Leedham was a two-time All-Northeast-10 selection over her four-year career at the University and was named the Conference's Defensive Player of the Year this past winter. She also earned Daktronics All-East Region second team and ECAC Division II All-Star status in helping lead the Ravens to the NE-10 regular season and tournament titles.

"It was a really tough decision I had to make between continuing to play or coach," said Leedham. "However, coaching has always been my ambition and I am extremely grateful to receive this opportunity. I look forward to being back at Franklin Pierce and continue to contribute toward a well established and winning program, but from a different perspective."

Leedham, the 2008-09 Walter Peterson Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year, earned All-Tournament team honors for the NE-10 Championships as well as both the NCAA Division II East Regional and Elite Eight in helping lead Franklin Pierce to an appearance in the National Championship game for the first time in program history this past season. She scored a season-high 31 points in the highest scoring women's final in Division II history as the Ravens dropped a tough 103-94 decision to Minnesota State University-Mankato in San Antonio, Texas.

Leedham, a four-year starter and two-year captain for Franklin Pierce, finished her career ranked among career leaders at the University in several categories. The Ellesmere Port, England, native became the 19^th player in program history to score 1,000 points early in her senior season, finishing ranked seventh all-time with 1,386 career points. She also ranks second all-time with 522 career assists and 255 career steals.

Franklin Pierce posted an 89-37 (.706) record overall in Leedham's four year career, including a 60-28 (.682) mark in the Northeast-10. The Ravens established program records for victories in a season each of the last two years, including a 29-6 clip this past winter. The Ravens earned NCAA Tournament bids each of the last two seasons, winning back-to-back NCAA regional titles to advance to the Division II Elite Eight. Leedham was also a part of an ECAC Division II Championship winning club as a freshman.

"Jennifer Leedham's return to Franklin Pierce as our assistant women's basketball coach is very special," said Kirsh. "She has all the personal qualities it takes to be an outstanding coach. During her four year career she was the team leader and an extension of the coaching staff. Her leadership, passion for the game and her relationship to the Franklin Pierce community and our basketball program makes her a perfect fit."

Leedham, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports and recreation management, is currently in Manchester, England, training with the Great Britain Women's National Team that will participate in the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, early next month. She is joined at the tryout by her younger sister, junior All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)), as they look forward to earning a spot on the 2012 Olympic Team in London.