ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's tennis team has added another budding star to their roster as they have signed Jaleesa Leslie, a blue-chip recruit out of Apopka, Fla.
Leslie is one of just 29 blue-chip recruits in the 2020-21 class and was tabbed as the number four recruit in the state of Florida. She'll come into college tennis with a career best world ranking of 968. Leslie has been playing tennis since she was five and made an immediate impact with Apopka High. She went undefeated in her freshman year all the way up until the 4A state singles final.
Leslie has found success in some notable tournaments. She reached the semifinals of the Orange Bowl, the quarterfinals of the Cancun 15k and the quarterfinals of Eddie Herr.
"I chose UCF because it is a good school academically and athletically, as well as close to home," said Leslie, who will intend to major in business when she steps onto campus in the spring.
The Knights are looking to be a force in the college tennis world with their recent additions. After losing just one senior from the 2018-19 roster, UCF has added Nadja Bay Christians and a talented transfer in Evgeniya Levashova, who was a top talent at Pepperdine before leaving to join the Black and Gold. Leslie will join the Knights in the 2020-21 season and is the first addition to that recruiting class.
UCF finished last season with a Sweet 16 appearance, the first in program history. The Black and Gold finished 19th in the Oracle/ITA rankings at the end of the 2019 dual match season and climbed as high as No. 18 during the campaign. UCF won their first conference crown in the American and their first overall since 2002. With the added recruits and talented returners from last season, there is a chance the Knights could have an even better season in 2020.
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