JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Kristin Leitheuser, a former two-time All-Skyline Conference standout at NYU-Poly, has been selected as assistant women's basketball coach at New Jersey City University for the 2011-12 season by first-year head coach Amy Mulligan.
Leitheuser, who will earn her degree in Business and Technology Management from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University in May 2012, earned First-Team All-Skyline Conference accolades as a senior in 2010-11 after the 6-foot-0 guard/forward averaged 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while guiding the Blue Jays to a 19-8 record and second place in the league with a 14-4 ledger for Coach Jimmy Barrett.
As a junior transfer in 2009-10, she secured Second-Team All-Skyline Conference honors in her first season at NYU-Poly. In two seasons and 52 games at NYU-Poly, Leitheuser compiled 815 points, 437 rebounds, 114 assists, 85 steals and 52 blocks.
Leitheuser also played two seasons at Division I St. Francis College from 2007-09 for Coach Brenda Milano. Overall in her four years of NCAA basketball, Leitheuser amassed 1059 points, 637 rebounds and 174 assists.
“I am pleased to have Kristin joining the women's basketball staff,” noted Mulligan. “She brings a great work ethic and passion for the game. She has a focus that is going to help this program and our team grow to new heights. Kristin's experiences at both St. Francis and NYU Poly are going to really bring an intensity to the players that will show them how to build a foundation for success.”
As a senior at NYU-Poly, she tallied 425 points, 213 rebounds, 69 assists, 39 steals and 32 blocks in 26 games (26 starts), averaging 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest while playing an incredible 37.6 minutes per game (977 overall). She shot .384 from the field (160-417), .318 from three-point distance (48-151) and .648 (57-88) from the line.
Among the Skyline Conference leaders, she ranked second in minutes played, fourth in scoring and three-pointers made (1.85 per game), fifth in rebounding and defensive rebounds (5.62 per game, 146), sixth in blocked shots, nine in free throw percentage and three-point percentage, 12th in assists, and 15th in offensive rebounds (2.58 per game, 67).
As a junior, she led the club in points (390), ranked second in rebounds (224) steals (46) and blocks (20), while delivering 45 assists in 26 games (all starts). She averaged 15.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 864 minutes (33.2 per game), while shooting .401 from the field (153-382), .306 from three-point range (33-108) and .543 from the line (51-94). Among the Skyline leaders, Leitheuser was fourth in scoring, seventh in rebounding, minutes, and defensive rebounds (149, 5.73/game), ninth in blocked shots and offensive rebounds (75, 2.88/game), and 10th in three-point percentage.
As a freshman at St. Francis in 2007-08, she played in 25 of 30 games with five starts, averaging 2.3 points (57), 2.0 rebounds (50), and 0.8 assists (21) per game. As a sophomore in 2008-09, she became a significant player for the Terriers, finishing third on the club in scoring and rebounding in 29 games (21 starts). Leitheuser chalked up 187 points, 150 rebounds, 39 assists and 31 steals in 802 minutes, averaging 6.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 27.7 minutes per game.
Now as a collegiate coach, Leitheuser hopes to inspire the players in the Gothic Knight program. Another goal as a coach is to help make the transition to college basketball easier for new NJCU players after enduring a difficult experience herself as a new collegiate player while dealing with a family medical condition.
Leitheuser, a 2007 graduate of Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, NY, played four years of basketball (three varsity) for the Admirals. She resides in Pleasant Valley, NY.
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