For Immediate Release
June 25, 2012
Courtesy of the Franklin Pierce Athletics Communications Staff
Former Franklin Pierce University standout Johannah Leedham on Friday was one of 12 players selected to compete for the British Women's Basketball National Team, which will compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London later this summer.
It marks the first time in the nation's history that Great Britain will be represented at the Olympic games in the sport of women's basketball.
Leedham starred at Franklin Pierce from 2006-10 and is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball history with 3,050 career points. She was twice named the WBCA/State Farm Division II National Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010.
"Being selected in the final as an individual is a very proud moment for me and is something I can cherish forever," Leedham told gbbasketball.com upon the team being announced on Friday.
"I'm really excited to be in the Olympic village. I can't quite imagine how great it is going to be at that moment.
"For us as a team it is unbelievable. We have come so far in recent years and achieved what was needed to qualify for London 2012. We are so excited to be at the Olympics and we have worked so hard and all the girls definitely deserve their place. We can't wait to get going."
Leedham had a storied career during her days in Rindge and accomplished several impressive team and individual honors. She helped guide the Ravens to back-to-back Northeast-10 Conference championships in 2009 and 2010 (the first NE-10 titles in program history) and three NCAA East Regional championships (2008-10).
In 2009, she was named to the NCAA Division II All-Tournament Team as she scored a Division II-record 149 points in the tournament and led the Ravens to a spot in the national championship game.
The following season in 2010, she guided Franklin Pierce to a No. 1 national ranking during the regular season and a trip to the Division II Final Four.
Leedham holds no less than 25 school records. Her career point total is also the fifth highest across all divisions of women's college basketball (I, II & III).
Leedham was not just a threat offensively, but also on the defensive end as she ranks seventh in Division II history with 459 career steals.
Leedham also excelled in the classroom as she earned Academic All-America honors and produced a 3.38 GPA in her major of sports and recreation management, which she earned her degree in. Leedham was named the 2010 NE-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's basketball, and in the spring after her final season, she was awarded with the NE-10 Female-of-the-Year accolade.
Following her outstanding collegiate career, Leedham was drafted by the Connecticut Sun in the third round of the 2010 WNBA Draft. She has played two seasons of professional basketball overseas since leaving Franklin Pierce, including this past season for the Bulleen Boomers in Australia.
Leedham also has extensive experience playing for Great Britain as she has represented her home country on the nation's U-16 and U-20 teams. She also took part in the 2009 World University Games and ranked third in the tournament in scoring at 18.9 points per game.
