Izzy Leazier Shares Route to The College of New Jersey

With a mom who has a Ph.D in philosophy and a father who has a masters in the same subject paired with 25 years of coaching high school, college, professional, and international basketball, there’s a good chance that their daughter would turn into a well spoken, well cultured, basketball star. In every sense of the imagination, Izzy Leazier, a State College High 2020 graduate, has become exactly that.

(Photos courtesy of TCNJ Athletic Communications)

Leazier is a bright, young woman who cares deeply about her teammates, coaches, and family. For a 20-year old, she is well traveled and has lived in three different countries (Germany, Scotland, and the United States) and in two different regions of the United States (New England and Mid-Atlantic) during her life. Her latest move was inside the Mid-Atlantic region as Leazier said goodbye to rural Centre County for a more urban setting in Ewing County, New Jersey at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The former Little Lion standout is currently a sophomore for the TCNJ Lion’s women’s basketball team.

From Little Lion to TCNJ Lion, Leazier has helped her teams play postseason basketball in both her high school and college careers. While playing for her father, Chris, at State High, she helped the program reach the PIAA state playoffs in three straight seasons and win a District 6 title in 2018. Additionally, she was named a Mid-Penn Commonwealth honorable mention twice, was on the mid-season Mid-Penn All-Star team, and was the recipient of the Thomas Whittaker award.

Leazier became a valued recruit by a collection of programs, but through a previous connection she had with Head Coach Chessie Jackson, she decided to go on a visit to TCNJ and see exactly what the school and program was all about.

A Division III school athletically and home to nearly 7,400 students, TCNJ was a medium-sized college experience tucked around halfway to Philadelphia and New York City. It also offered a competitive sports environment and a collection of impressive majors like health and exercise science, which may lead her to physical therapy school, a fast track nursing degree, or possibly a career in coaching hoops one day.

It has been the perfect fit as Leazier has continued to gain steam through her first two college seasons and earned a starting role for the final 15 games of her sophomore season, including a career-high 22 points in her second career start in a game against Rutgers-Newark. After a slow start in the 2021-22 campaign, the Lions went on a tear through the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament and as the eight seed, lost in the title game 58-52, just one game shy of the NCAA Tournament.

While it was not the finish to the season they ultimately hoped for, Leazier and company can feel confident heading into the 2022-23 season because the team is virtually going to run it back with the same group of girls next season. Leazier shared some thoughts on her growing confidence as a college player and how proud she is to be a member of the Lions program.

“We made a solid run to the conference finals and virtually had 11 freshmen with seven players who did not have a full season of college basketball and four true freshmen. Our team has a lot of experience, and I have gained more confidence as a player. In high school, I was known as a shooter, but I have been working on getting into the paint to score and also find my teammates. I think what I have started to understand most is reading the defense and what they are giving me. I am not strictly a shooter anymore.”

A true native of Vermont, it is the state in which she first fell in love with the sport of basketball. Growing up and watching her older brothers play the game and becoming a fan of the local professional team, the Boston Celtics, Izzy Leazier was heavily impacted by her time in New England

However, basketball has helped her transition to a new city and state during her middle school and college years. It has also presented her with a solid collection of friends through AAU while representing Central PA Elite and later Team Pennsylvania. Now, she continues to live a dream as a college hooper, with another chapter soon being possible as a coach.

Best of luck as you continue your time at the College of New Jersey, Izzy! Thank you for the chance to highlight your journey so far 🏀