Leedham Named 
NE-10 Player of the Week
Ellesmere Port, England, native earns 
fourth award of season (10^th career) 

RINDGE, N.H. (January 14, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) was named the Northeast-10 Women’s Basketball Player of the Week by the Conference office today.

            Leedham earns the award for the fourth time this season (tenth career) after averaging 26 points, 7.5 rebounds, five steals and 3.5 assists in a 1-1 week for Franklin Pierce. She shot 58.1-percent (18-for-31) from the field, including 9-of-15 (60%) from three-point range, and converted all seven free-throw attempts for the week.

            Leedham led Franklin Pierce to an 88-60 win over Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, canning a program-record eight three-pointers on 11 attempts, to go with six steals, five rebounds and four assists in just 26 minutes of action. She put on a shooting display as the Ravens raced out to a 57-25 halftime lead, hitting all seven three-point attempts en route to 8-of-9 shooting overall and 23 points in the frame. Leedham scored 15 points (5-5 three’s) as the Ravens opened a 17-6 lead 3:19 into the game and had 20 points 6:26 into the contest as they opened a 22-10 edge.            

Leedham opened the week with a team-best 21 points on 7-14 shooting from the field, converting all six free-throws, to go with ten rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season (14^th career), adding four steals and three assists in Tuesday’s 76-70 setback to Bentley College, among teams receiving votes nationally.

            Leedham ranks among Northeast-10 leaders in most statistical categories, leading the Conference with 23.4 points (5^th nationally) and 4.1 steals (6^th) per game, while also averaging 7.1 rebounds (10^th NE-10) and 4.1 assists (8^th). She is shooting 52.3-percent from the field (2^nd), including 37.1% from three-point range (11^th), and converting 79.6% of her free-throw attempts (10^th).

Leedham has led Franklin Pierce in scoring in all but one game so far this season, while leading the team in rebounding nine times, assists nine times and steals 12. She has scored in double-figures in all 40 games of her career, netting 20 or more 29 times and scoring 30-plus points 11 times. Leedham collected her 900^th career point with her first basket against Southern New Hampshire on Saturday and enters the week just 71 points shy of eclipsing the 1,000-point plateau. She has also now broken no less than 20 program records with her eight three-pointers on Saturday, while also moving into a tie for eighth in program history with 161 career steals.            

Leedham enjoyed a freshman season which saw her become the first Daktronics All-American and Kodak/WBCA Honorable Mention All-American in program history, while also earning NE-10 Freshman of the Year, All-NE-10 first team and NE-10 All-Rookie team honors.

            Leedham led Great Britain to a bronze medal at the FIBA U-20 European Championships last summer. She led Great Britain in most statistical categories, averaging 22.1 points (3^rd overall among Championship leaders), 8.6 rebounds (6^th), 3.0 assists (6^th) and 2.9 steals (4^th) per contest. She is shot 48.7-percent (56-of-115) from the field (5^th), including 14-for-30 (46.7%) from three-point range (2^nd). Leedham scored 20-plus points in all but two contests, posting a pair of double-doubles. Leedham is a former U-18 National Player of the Year for England.

            Franklin Pierce (13-2, 8-2 NE-10), ranked 14^th in the most recent USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, has won 13 of its first 15 games for the first time since the 1998-99 season en route to its last NCAA Tournament appearance. The Ravens are back in action on Wednesday when they visit Le Moyne College at 5:30 p.m. They are back home on Saturday for a key NE-10 clash in the Fieldhouse with first place and 13^th-ranked Stonehill College at 1:30 p.m. The Skyhawks have accounted for one of Franklin Pierce’s two losses so far this season.