Maury Leitzke returns to the Bearcat coaching staff for his second season.

Prior to coming to SBU last year, Leitzke played overseas for five years. He played for the Mighty Hawks in New Zealand in 2002 and the Dornbirn Lions of Austria in 2001. From 1998-2000, he played for the Goldfields Giants in Australia. During the offseason, Leitzke coached middle school basketball in Tucson, Ariz. from 1999-00.

In 2002, he was the second leading scorer in the NBL. He also had the highest shooting percentage in a game from three-point range when he hit eight of nine from behind the arc.
From 1998-00, he led the SBL in three pointers made and free throw percentage. He set the league record with most points scored in the fourth quarter (25) and also set the league record for most three-pointers made in a game by going 10 for 16 behind the arc. Leitzke was voted Best New Import in 1998 by the league referees.

Before his stint in professional basketball, Leitzke played four years of collegiate basketball. He started his college career at Valparaiso University from 1991-93. He then transferred to McHenry Community College from 1993-94 before moving to Bolivar and playing for SBU in 1994-95. Leitzke finished his eligibility at Evangel in 1995-96.

Among the honors he won during his collegiate career, he was named NAIA All-American, All-MIAA and Region IV All-Area Junior College.

I n high school, Leitzke was named the 1989-90 and 1990-91 Northern Illinois High School Player of the Year.

Other work experience includes coaching high school teams in Australia and New Zealand while overseas, coaching junior varsity basketball at Canyon Del Oro High School from 1999-00, working as an assistant coach at Evangel in 1997, coaching the women’s Australian All-Stars against the Tawain National Team and running the Shooting Star camps in northern Illinois.

Leitzke graduated from Woodstock High School in Woodstock, Ill. in 1991. He received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Evangel in 1997.

In December 2003, Leitzke will finish his master’s in science education.

He and his wife , Torey, have been married for three and a half years and have two dogs, Gabby and Majerle. Torey is the assistant coach for the SBU women’s basketball team.