After a stellar playing career and a successful first two seasons as an assistant coach, Jennifer Leedham returns for her third season in the same position for the Franklin Pierce University women's basketball program in 2011-12.
In her role as the assistant coach,
Leedham helped guide the Ravens to the Northeast-10 Championship,
the NCAA East Regional title, a trip to the NCAA Division II Final
Four and a No. 1 national ranking midway through the regular season
during the 2009-10 campaign. The Ravens ultimately went 32-2
(school-record for most overall wins in a season) and a No. 4 final
national ranking.
In 2010-11, Leedham again provided a strong presence on the bench as she helped lead the Ravens to a 24-8 record, a trip to the NE-10 Championship game and the school's fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Leedham graduated from Franklin Pierce in 2009 following a brilliant four-year playing career. She 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 in 2009. 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 as a senior.
"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 19th 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 earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports and recreation management and spent last summer training with the Great Britain Women's National Team that participated in the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.
