Nothing but net
for LeighAnn Burke

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

Everywhere LeighAnn Burke goes, success seems to follow.
The Northeast Philadelphia native jump-started her basketball career at Our Lady of Calvary, where she helped the CYO team win the state championship in 2001.
After graduation, Burke took her skills to the next level at Archbishop Ryan High School, where the four-year varsity player racked up 860 points and 251 rebounds during her time with the Ragdolls, also earning first-team All-Catholic honors in her junior and senior seasons.
And now Burke is at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., where the junior two-guard has been scoring some points.
In fact, she has scored 1,000 of them.
On Jan. 9, Burke became the 17th player in school history to sink 1,000 points for the Bulldogs. The 5-foot-8 athlete also leads the Bulldogs in scoring and steals this season, and is second in assists.
"She’s a very talented kid and a great leader for the team," said coach Fred Richter. "We’re not the biggest team in the world and we’re not the fastest team in the world, but we have a lot of team chemistry and a lot of talent."
The Bulldogs have won eight of their last nine games, the latest a 62-57 victory against Manhattanville College on Saturday. Burke and sophomore forward Caitlin Miller joined forces for 38 points and 18 rebounds in the win.
"The season is going really well," said Burke, who had a game-high 24 points against Manhattanville, including four treys. "We’re working a lot on defense and playing the whole game. Sometimes we’ll have the lead but then lose it later. We want to take the lead early and keep it."
Burke has tended to be a significant factor in these games. During her initial season with the Bulldogs, the then-freshman quickly made a name for herself, averaging 14 points a game and leading the squad with 50 three-pointers. Burke later was named the Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year and tied the school record for points in a game with 37. She ranked second on the team in assists and steals.
It proved to be more than beginner’s luck.
Burke maintained the pace during her sophomore year, again leading the Bulldogs with 47 three-pointers. She also led the squad in steals and was second in scoring with a 14.5 average.
This season, Burke just keeps getting better. She’s averaging 19 points per game; she has been named Freedom Conference Player of the Week four times.
And there’s still plenty of time left in the season.
"We practice six days a week for two hours," said Burke. "It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. You just have to learn to balance your time right."
Off the basketball court, Burke works just as hard in the classroom at DeSales. She’s pursuing a double major in mathematics and secondary education, with the goal of becoming a teacher.
"I’ve always dreamed of being a teacher since I was little," said Burke, who has a 3.86 grade-point average and has made the dean’s list every semester. "I plan to student teach next year. I’m observing this year, which has definitely reinforced the fact that I want to work with kids."
As the basketball season unfolds, Burke — a co-captain with guards Kim Rarick and Rose Katz — continues to be a role model for her fellow Bulldogs.
The transition, she’ll tell you, hasn’t been too difficult.
"At Ryan, we had really good competition in the Catholic League, so when I came here, I was somewhat used to it," recalled Burke, a 2005 graduate of Archbishop Ryan. "It took some adjusting, but everyone up here was really nice. It’s exciting to see how much I grew as a player. I feel like I’m at my peak now."
It seems that Burke’s basketball ability from years past hasn’t been forgotten. On Nov. 24, she was inducted into Our Lady of Calvary’s Hall of Fame.
"It was great," she said. "It was such an honor and it was fun to see people I haven’t seen in a really long time."
These days, she lives on the DeSales University campus. The commute from her Philadelphia home is more than an hour, but that hasn’t kept the rest of the Burke clan from making the trip to follow LeighAnn’s career on the basketball court.
"My family comes up to see all the games," said Burke.
"It’s so nice to have them there. It makes me more relaxed."
Burke’s older brother and sister, and her new godson Justin, also are part of the cheering section.
"Justin comes to my games too," Burke said with a laugh. "It’s so cute because he dresses in a little DeSales outfit."
When the talk in sports turns to a team’s camaraderie, you can’t get much closer than the Bulldogs. The players aren’t just tight on the court; they’re roommates too.
"I live with six teammates, so we see each other every day," said Burke. "We’re all on the same schedule, so it works out good. No one is out late before the game day and there’s always someone to get rides with to practice.
"Plus, I think the fact that we spend so much time together helps us a lot on the court," she added.
With a 15-3 record this season, whatever they’re doing . . . it’s certainly working. ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com