Quinnipiac coach calls Leigh’s return to court a “blessing”
The Quinnipiac University volleyball team has welcomed back a big piece of the puzzle.
Middle hitter Allison Leigh of Palmer has returned for her third season with NCAA D1 school in Hamden, Connecticut, after missing last year with an injury.
“Allison’s return from injury has been such a blessing,” Quinnipiac coach Kris Czaplinski told me.
The 6-foot-3 playmaker is a premier presence at the net.
Leigh, of Colony High fame, ranks No. 5 on Quinnipiac’s all-time list with 286 blocks. She had 10 blocks, including five solo, against Holy Cross before her injury.
“Her presence in the middle is such a stabilizing force,” Czaplinski said. “Opposing teams have to game plan around her, which opens up our offense to have a solo block on them.”
Leigh’s block total ranks second among Quinnipiac players who played their whole careers at the D1 level. The school made the move in 1998.
The Alaskan has also slammed 430 career kills in 66 matches.
She got off to a strong start with 28 kills in three matches on a .348 attack percentage before she got hurt. Against Bryant, she delivered eight kills on 20 attempts with zero hitting errors.
“Not only does she have great talent, but who she is as a person makes coaching her that much better,” Czaplinski said.