Gabriela Leon Returns to Louisville Track & Field as Program Volunteer

Gabriela Leon, one of the most successful student-athletes in Louisville history, will return to the University of Louisville track and field program to join Joe Franklin's staff as a program volunteer working with pole vault.

"We are thrilled to welcome Gabi back to the Cardinal family," said Franklin. "She is not only one of the most decorated athletes in the history of the university, but she is also one of the best pole vaulters in the world."

Leon competed for the Cardinals from 2017 to 2022, finishing her career as the program record holder in both the indoor and outdoor women's pole vault while becoming the first female outdoor national champion and only the seventh national champion overall in program history.

While volunteering on the Cardinals' staff this season, Leon will continue training for next summer's U.S Olympic Team Trials, where she looks to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

"I'm grateful that Coach Franklin's vision of this program allows for elite athletes to train alongside collegiate student-athletes," said Leon. "I'm also excited to return to train with Brooke Rasnick. We built something special during my time in college, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can continue to accomplish together."

Upon graduating from Louisville, Leon began competing professionally for Puma, qualifying for the 2022 World Athletics Championships where she placed 12^th in the women's pole vault after taking fourth at the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Leon was crowned the 2022 outdoor national champion in the women's pole vault after a season that saw her win numerous awards including the USTFCCCA Outdoor Southeast Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year, ACC Female Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, and ACC Track & Field Female Scholar Athlete of the Year She was recognized as both an institutional and ACC nominee for the NCAA's Woman of the Year award while also being named a finalist for the 2022 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award.

Over the course of her Louisville career, Leon was a four-time NCAA All-American, won two individual ACC championships, was recognized as All-ACC seven times, and earned USTFCCCA All-Academic distinction twice while receiving All-ACC Academic honors four times.

The native of Grand Rapids, Mich. graduated from UofL in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.

University of Louisville Athletics

Gabriela Leon Returns to Louisville Track & Field as Program Volunteer

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