Paige Leonard has joined the New York University Athletics Performance Elevation staff in the areas of Performance Science/Data Analytics.
A sports scientist and human performance specialist, Leonard bridges the gap between empirical data and athletic performance, translating complex biomechanical and physiological metrics into actionable training and recovery strategies for collegiate student-athletes.
"We are thrilled to welcome
Paige Leonard to NYU Athletics," said
Nikki Webb, NYU's Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Health and Performance. "She brings Division I and professional sports experience to a role that is truly rare for a Division III program. Paige's contributions will be transformative in elevating our health and performance initiatives while maximizing the potential of our student-athletes and programs."
Prior to joining NYU, Leonard worked in professional sports as an Athletic Performance Assistant in Strength & Conditioning/Sports Science for the San Antonio Spurs. In the NBA, her role centered on managing end-to-end sports science technologies—including athletic profiling, player tracking, and physiological assessments—while maintaining data accuracy, developing predictive models, and coordinating return-to-play initiatives alongside athletic trainers, physical therapists, and coaches.
Leonard began her academic journey at Xavier University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Seeking to combine behavioral insights with human movement, she went on to complete a Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology at the University of Louisville, where she gained hands-on experience as a Strength & Conditioning and Sports Science Intern, integrating technology like Catapult GPS and force plates to assess training loads for both the men's and women's basketball programs.
Continuing her work in collegiate athletics, Leonard served as a Strength & Conditioning and Sports Science Fellow at the University of Connecticut, focusing extensively on the UConn Women's Basketball team. At UConn, she led Catapult data management and combined platforms like Sparta Science and Tableau to model injury risk, optimize performance analysis, and support individualized athlete training protocols.
Beyond her practical work, Leonard is an active contributor to the broader strength and conditioning community. Certified as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), she has presented her sports science research at major industry gatherings, including the CSCC and NSCA annual conferences. Her expertise spans athlete monitoring systems, Smartabase, velocity-based training (VBT), and biomechanical reporting.
"I'm excited to be part of NYU's holistic approach to performance and to contribute my own perspective to the strong foundation already in place," Leonard said. "I look forward to helping continue the growth and elevation of performance across NYU Athletics."
A native of Colorado Springs, CO, Leonard resides in Brooklyn, NY.
