St. Francis College Brooklyn women’s basketball head coach Linda Cimino announced today the hiring of Jennifer Leedham as the Terriers new associate head coach. Leedham comes to Brooklyn Heights after serving as a women’s basketball assistant coach at fellow Northeast Conference (NEC) member Wagner for the past three seasons.
“This is a significant hire for us as it was important that we filled this position with someone who can attract high-quality student-athletes to Brooklyn Heights. Jen is a proven recruiter with a large international network, who will take our recruiting efforts to the next level. As a former head coach, she has a great understanding of the game and is one of the most loyal and passionate people I know. We are extremely fortunate to add Jen to our staff,” said coach Cimino on the addition of coach Leedham.
As a member of the Seahawks’ coaching staff, Leedham helped guide the program to the 2018-19 NEC Tournament. This past season, Wagner doubled its conference wins total from the season prior and qualified for the NEC tournament for the first time in five years. Under Leedham’s tutelage, Wagner ranked in the top-three of the NEC in several statistical categories last season: free-throw percentage (72.4%, third), field-goal percentage (41.5%, second), rebounding defense (35.9, third), and assists (13.8, second).
Leedham aided the 2017-18 Seahawks to several top-five rankings among the NEC, which included being ranked second in three-point field percentage defense. Wagner was third in rebounding defense, fourth in field goal percentage defense, while it ranked fifth in both scoring defense and rebounding margin.
Leedham oversaw the development of Kerstie Phills, who went on to claim the 2016-17 NEC Rookie of the Year award as well as earn All-NEC Second Team honors. Phills went on to capture a program-record eight NEC Rookie of the Week honors, while finishing the season shooting 48.1 percent from the field (second in the NEC) and 42.9 overall (ranking among the top-10). Additionally, Leedham was instrumental in the recruitment and development of Khaleah Edwards and NEC All-Rookie Selection Emilija Krista Grava.
Prior to her arrival at Wagner, Leedham was the head coach at her alma mater, Franklin Pierce, guiding the Ravens to a pair of NCAA Championship appearances (2013 & 2015) while reaching the Northeast-10 (NE-10) Conference Championship game in all four seasons.
At Franklin Pierce, Leedham mentored one All-Region selection, six All-Northeast-10 selections, and one All-Rookie Team choice. She also coached Tiffany Johnson, who claimed the 2012-13 Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year award.
Before accepting the head coaching position of the Ravens’ program, Leedham spent three seasons as an assistant, as she was fully entrenched in all aspects of the program, and was heavily responsible for all of the program’s recruiting efforts as well as player development, fundraising, team travel, and scouting.
A native of Ellesmere Port, England, Leedham is a 2016 Franklin Pierce Hall of Famer. A 1,000-point scorer and a fierce competitor, she led the Ravens to the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championship game. Despite falling in the title game, 103-94, to Minnesota State-Mankato, Leedham netted a season-high 31 points on 12-of-20 shooting which included going 5-of-7 from beyond-the-arc. Running the point for Franklin Pierce, Leedham dished out nine assists while recording four steals and blocking two shots in the process. For her efforts, she was named to the NCAA Elite Eight All-Tournament Team.
At season’s end, Leedham was bestowed several prestigious honors, including, the 2009 Walter Peterson Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year award, the NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award while being tabbed to the NE-10 Second Team. In the summer of 2009, she went on to represent Great Britain in the World University Games in Serbia.
Leedham graduated from Franklin Pierce in May of 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in sports and recreation management. Later, she earned her MBA in Leadership from the Franklin Pierce in May of 2013.
