MAAC_Program_2025_V4_Pages

2024–25 SAINT PETER’S WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

QUICK FACTS LOCATION JERSEY CITY, NJ NICKNAME PEACOCKS COLORS BLUE & WHITE YEAR FOUNDED 1872

WOMEN’S ROSTER

No. Name

Cl. Gr.

Pos. Ht.

Hometown/High School/Previous College

0 Laila Grant

G/F 5-8 Derwood, MD/Acad of Holy Cross/Presbyterian College

PRESIDENT DR. HUBERT BENITEZ ATHLETIC DIRECTOR KATIE ARCURI HOME ARENA RUN BABY RUN ARENA (1,824)

1 Nikola Zdenková R-So. G/F 5-9 Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic/Siena College 2 Iyanna Cotten Fr. G/F 5-7 Somerset, NJ/Franklin 3 Louella Allana Jr. G 5-4 Laval, Quebec, Canada/Robert Morris Univ. 5 Maya Hyacienth Gr.

G 5-10 Nottingham, England/Rider Univ./City of London Acad.

6 Maria Andorinho Fr.

F

6-1 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal/Instituto Español Giner de los Rios

7 Jineen Ayyash

Fr.

G/F 5-10 Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township

12 Emily O’Connell 13 De’Naya Rippey

So.

G

5-7 London, England/City of London Academy

Fr.

F

5-10 Brooklyn, NY/Cheshire Academy

14

Carys Roy

R-So. C 6-3 Cowbridge, Wales/Cowbridge Comprehensive School

15 Layla Laws

R-Jr. R-Jr.

F

6-0 Pine Beach, NJ/Donovan Catholic and Saint Rose/Saint Francis Univ.

20 Reilly Sunday

G

5-9 Moon Township, PA/Duquesne Univ./Moon Area

23 Lara Aguzzi

So. So.

G 5-1 Newton, MA/Newton North

25 Linda Amaning

F F

6-3 Dijon, Bourgogne, France/Marguerite De Flandre

PLAYER TO WATCH Sophomore forward Fatmata Janneh has been dominating the court in her second season as a Peacock. A true standout for Saint Peter’s, Janneh leads the team in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks, showcasing her all-around excellence. Averaging an outstanding 18.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, she has established herself as a dominant force in the MAAC. Janneh’s outstanding performances have not gone unnoticed—she’s earned MAAC Player of the Week honors four times this season (Dec. 2, Dec. 16, Dec. 23, and Jan. 13). She currently leads the conference in both points and rebounds per game. As of January 25, Janneh has recorded nine double-doubles, showcasing her dominance on both ends of the court. NOTABLE ALUMNI Millicent Gertrude Sellers, a standout alumna of Saint Peter’s University Women’s Basketball, left an indelible mark both on the court and on the sidelines. A two-time MAAC Regular Season Champion (1989-90, 1992-93) and MAAC Tournament Champion (1981-82, 1982-83), Millicent played a pivotal role in securing two NCAA Tournament appearances for the Peacocks (1991-92, 1992-93). After graduating, Millicent transitioned to coaching, joining the Peacocks’ staff as an assistant in the 1993-94 season and dedicating six years to shaping the next generation of athletes. Her excellence earned her a well-deserved induction into the SPU Hall of Fame in 1999.

44 Fatmata Janneh So.

6-1 London, England/Barking Abbey Sixth Form

Head Coach: Jennifer Leedham – 3 rd Season Associate Head Coach: David Jollon – 3 rd Season Assistant Coaches: Tay Hughes – 2 nd Season, Olivia Tucker – 1 st Season, Johannah Leedham-Warner – 3 rd Season

HEAD COACH JENNIFER LEEDHAM Jennifer Leedham, now in her third season as head coach of Saint Peter’s University women’s basketball, has been making strides in building the program since taking over in July 2022. Leedham joined the Peacocks with six years of Division I coaching experience in the New York Metropolitan area, bringing a track record of success and a vision for revitalizing the team’s legacy. Before arriving in Jersey City, she was the associate head coach at St. Francis Brooklyn, where she helped lead the Terriers to one of their best seasons in program history. During the 2021-22 season, St. Francis posted a 17-10 overall record, went 13-3 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play, and set a new program record for wins. Under her leadership, the team led the NEC in scoring offense (64.7 points per game) and assists per game (14.3). Prior to her success at St. Francis, Leedham spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Wagner College, helping guide the Seahawks to the 2018-19 NEC Tournament. Since stepping into the role at Saint Peter’s, Leedham has worked tirelessly to create a competitive culture and rebuild a program steeped in history. On November 13, 2023, she celebrated a career milestone with her first win at Saint Peter’s, a hard-fought 61-57 victory over Central Connecticut State. Now entering her third year, Coach Leedham is determined to keep pushing the Peacocks forward.

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JIM WHELAN BOARDWALK HALL | ATLANTIC CITY