TOLEDO, Ohio – Former Rocket standout Maurissa Leonard is joining the volleyball program as an assistant coach, Toledo women's volleyball head coach Jason Oliver announced on Wednesday.

An Oregon, Ohio native, Leonard starred as a defensive specialist/libero at Toledo from 2015-18 and served as a volunteer assistant with the program in 2019

"Maurissa is everything you want a Rocket to be and I am excited that she will help mold the next generations of Rockets as a coach," Oliver said. "[Assistant coach Bethany Lokken] and I are very excited to have her in the gym every day and to have her help push our squad to new heights.  In many ways it is like she never left the program.  We have had many conversations over the years about our team and her involvement with us has been nonstop.  This is a great step forward for the program and I know Maurissa will definitely help develop all of our student-athletes into well-rounded individuals."

Leonard holds the single-match (40), single-season (619), and career (2,260) digs records at Toledo. She also owns the single-season (5.84) and career (5.15) digs/set records. She earned honorable mention All-MAC honors as a sophomore in 2016 after averaging 4.91 digs/set and played in all 30 matches.

During her time at Toledo, Leonard also worked with the Toledo Volleyball Club as a coach and instructor. She graduated from the University of Toledo in August 2019 with a bachelor's degree in nursing.  

"The University of Toledo and the volleyball program have given me countless memories and life lessons," Leonard said. "I'm so thankful to [Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA] Kelly Andrews, Jason, and Beth for giving me the opportunity to join the volleyball coaching staff and pay it forward by impacting these young women's lives."

Toledo turned in one of the best seasons in recent memory last year, reaching the 20-win benchmark for just the second time in school history and reaching the postseason for the first time ever. The Rockets played in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), advancing to the second round.