Head Coach Marsha Frese and the UMKC women’s basketball program have announced the addition of Lyndsay Leikem (Tucson, Ariz.) to the roster for the 2016-17 season.
The 6-1 forward joins the ’Roos after spending her first three seasons in Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the Indiana University women’s basketball team where she appeared in all 33 contests a season ago, starting seven, and helped the Hoosiers to 21-12 record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Lyndsay to our UMKC family,” Frese said. “Associate Head Coach Zach Kancher hit a home run bringing Lyndsay to our program. Her experience in the Big 10 and presence in the post will further bolster our front court strength. On top of it all, Lyndsay is also a phenomenal student and fits our women’s basketball culture of ‘Student First’ – to a T.”
As a prep, Leikem led Flowing Wells High School to a state championship in her senior season, averaging 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.6 blocks and 3.0 steals, leading to all-state honors. She was given a 90 rating and three stars by ESPN, earning her a No. 27 positional ranking in the Class of 2013. During her high school career, she received offers from Ole Miss and Indiana under former Head Coach and current Connecticut Sun Head Coach, Curt Miller, eventually deciding on IU.
Off the court, Leikem graduated from Indiana with a double major, earning her B.A. in both Criminal Justice and Psychology and will now pursue her M.S. in Criminal Justice at UMKC.
Leikem has been around the criminal justice system her entire life. Her father graduated from the police academy shortly after she was born and is now a detective. Upon graduation, she hopes to follow in his footsteps by joining a federal agency such as the FBI, DEA or CIA where she can get into investigative work.
“I have been interested in the field of criminal justice for as long as I can remember, and I know that all the opportunities and work I have done and will do in college will help me to reach my ultimate goal of being in the FBI,” Leikem said. “I have been lucky to have family who support me and have set a good example on how to be successful and succeed in their careers.”
Leikem would become the third sibling to pursue a career in government work as her twin sisters, Tristany and Kristen, work as a JAG for the Navy and in the Government Accountability Office, respectively, and both live in Washington, D.C.
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– UMKC –
Nik Busch
Assistant Director of Strategic Communications