Savanah Leaf Named Senior CLASS Finalist
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Savanah Leaf was named a finalist for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate volleyball.
Leaf is one of 10 finalists selected chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.
“It means a lot to me because I try and not only be a good student and athlete, but also to lead in my community with my character,” Leaf said. “The fact that I am being acknowledged for all four areas is really exciting. I am really grateful for the recognition.”
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
“We are really happy for Savanah, she is so deserving,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “She is a good role model and representative of our University and our Volleyball program. Most people only see what Savanah does on the court, but in addition to being one of the most dominant players in the ACC she is also an exceptional student and is great with the kids in our summer volleyball camps.”
The San Anselmo, Calif., native is a star for the Hurricanes, ranking first in the ACC and 10th in the country with 4.70 kills/set. She leads Miami with seven double-doubles on the season and recently became the eighth player in program history to tally 1,000 kills in their career.
A Preseason All-ACC selection, Leaf has earned ACC Player of the Week honors twice during the 2014 season. Her 313 kills lead the Hurricanes and her 4.67 kills/set is the best in the ACC. Leaf is second on the team in service aces with 20 and ranks third in both digs (160) and blocks (52).
Leaf has tallied double-digit kills in 18 of Miami’s 20 matches to date in 2014. The gifted outside hitter has compiled 15 kills 14 times this year and recorded at least 20 kills four times, including a career-high 30 against No. 5 Florida State on Oct. 5.
Her performance against the rival Seminoles set a Miami record for kills in an ACC match. The senior also set the record for most kills by a Hurricane at the Knight Sports Complex and tied Karla Johnson for most kills by a Cane in a single match (9/3/05 at Houston).
While she has been a dominant force on the court, her accomplishments outside of volleyball are equally as impressive.
A senior with a double major in Psychology and Human and Social Development, Leaf has accumulated a 3.877 GPA. She earned distinction on the President’s Honor Roll in Spring 2013 for her perfect 4.0 semester GPA, as well as the Provost’s Honor Roll (3.75 GPA), Dean’s List Honor Roll (3.5 GPA), Athletic Director Honor Roll (3.2 GPA) and UM’s Book Buster Club (3.0 GPA) in Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013 and Spring 2014.
Leaf is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Furthermore, she was named to the 2013 All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team and is a two-time ACC Honor Roll student-athlete.
She is also heavily involved in the Miami community and in her home state of California. The senior has worked as a volleyball coach at the Jose Gandara Volleyball Camps in Coral Gables the past two summers and she has been a summer volleyball coach for the San Francisco Juniors VB Club. Leaf also got the Canes involved in a service project that helped revitalize inner city parks in the Miami area.
The Canes are back in action Friday, when they travel to North Carolina for matches against UNC and NC State. Miami will face the Tar Heels on Friday at 6 p.m., while Sunday’s match against NC State is scheduled for 1 p.m.
For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram.
