Franklin Pierce
Places Pair on NE-10
All-Academic Team
Jo. Leedham selected to first team, McPherson voted to third team 

RINDGE, N.H. (January 23, 2008) – Two members of the Franklin Pierce University women’s basketball team have earned Northeast-10 All-Academic honors, as selected by the Conference’s 15 sports information directors. The announcement was made by the NE-10 office today. To be eligible for selection to the academic teams, student-athletes must have met or exceeded the following requirements: 1.) participated in a least half of the team’s competitions and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2.) achieved a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale); and 3.) completed at least one academic year at their current institution.

           Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) was selected to the first team, while classmate Jess McPherson (Croydon, Australia) was voted to the third team. The two selections are the most for Franklin Pierce since the inaugural year of the NE-10’s All-Academic program in 2004-05, when two Ravens were selected. The pair increase Franklin Pierce’s total of women’s basketball All-Academic selections to five over the four years of the program’s existence.

           “Jo and Jess’s representation on the All-Academic team is especially rewarding to themselves, our program and our school,” said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Mark Swasey. “We are all very proud of what they have done in the classroom. In the long run, everyone benefits from their hard work and it is great to see them recognized for it.”          

Leedham earns All-Academic honors for the first time, having earned a 3.29 cumulative grade point average at the University. She has started all 18 games for Franklin Pierce this fall and leads the Northeast-10 in scoring, averaging 22.7 points (tops nationally) to go with a Conference-best 3.8 steals per game (4^th nationally). Leedham also ranks among NE-10 leaders with 6.8 rebounds (11^th), 4.0 assists (8^th) and a .488 field goal percentage (6^th). She has been the Ravens top scorer in 17 of 18 games so far this season.  

           The honor is the latest in a long list of accolades for Leedham, who became the first All-American in program history when she was named to the Daktronics third team as a freshman. Also the first Kodak/WBCA Division II honorable mention All-America in program history, Leedham was named the NE-10 Freshman of the Year and also collected All-NE-10 first team and All-Rookie team status. She has earned NE-10 Player of the Week honors a program-record ten times over her career, including four this season, and was the NE-10 Freshman of the Week a record 11 times in 2006-07.

           Leedham, who has broken no fewer than 20 program records during her brief collegiate career, currently ranks 19^th in program history with 986 career points and eighth with 169 career steals in just 43 career games played. In Franklin Pierce’s 86-60 win over Southern New Hampshire University on January 12, Leedham buried a program-record eight three-pointers for her most recent record-setting performance. She has scored in double-figures in all 43 games in her collegiate career, netting over 20 points 30 times and 30-plus on 11 occasions. A former two-time England U-18 Player of the Year, Leedham guided Great Britain to a bronze medal at the FIBA U-20 European Championships last summer.           

McPherson earns her first All-Academic selection and has achieved a 3.90 cumulative grade point average while double-majoring in biology and education. She boasts the highest GPA of any All-Academic selection on the three teams. McPherson was an NE-10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll Gold Scholar in 2006-07.

           McPherson is one of three Ravens to start all 18 games this season and is averaging 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game, to go with a team-high 15 blocked shots (11^th NE-10), 21 assists and 16 blocked shots. She is shooting 50.7-percent (37-for-73) from the field for the season and has led the team in rebounding four times.

           McPherson established a career-high with 12 points in Franklin Pierce’s 64-46 victory over Assumption College on November 20. She grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds at Le Moyne College on January 16.

           Franklin Pierce boasts a 3.41 cumulative team grade point average following the Fall 2007 semester, with seven Ravens out of 13 on the squad earning Dean’s List status at the University. Nine members of the team have earned a spot on the University’s Athletic Department Honor Roll to be announced next week.

           “Through the first semester our entire team demonstrated a sincere commitment to academics,” said Swasey. “This group has shown respect for the concept of being a true student-athlete, with dedication and focus both on and off the court.”

            Franklin Pierce (15-3, 10-3 NE-10), ranked 20^th in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, is back in action on Saturday when it continues its three-game road trip at The College of Saint Rose at 1:30 p.m. The Ravens next home game is Saturday, February 2, when they host the University of Massachusetts Lowell at 1:30 p.m.