Throughout her career, Leao’s family has been a driving force.
Her parents, Jose and Lucia, were regular fixtures at her high school and club matches despite their busy schedules as machine operators for the suitmaker Joseph Abboud. And she and her five siblings – Jack, Cyril, Javon, Ariana, and Eliza – were notoriously competitive during family driveway basketball games.
Their support, Leao says, has meant the world, not only as she suited up for Team USA, but as she’s emerged as a budding star at both New Bedford High School and now, Miami.
“We’re all athletes. Just growing up, we’d go to [my brother’s] soccer games. My sister ran track, so we’d always go to her meets. We were a very supportive family and then we’d have those games in the backyard, just playing horse and stuff,” Leao recalled. “That brought out the competitive side of me and my siblings. It was very easy going through sports with all that support. Whatever I wanted to do, even when I switched from basketball to volleyball, I always knew my decision would be supported by my brothers, sisters, and my mom and dad. It was easy to play sports in that household.”
That support was on full display last month when the Hurricanes (19-9, 12-5 ACC) traveled to Boston to face conference foe Boston College.
Leao’s parents and siblings were all in the stands for the match, as were some of her former teachers, coaches, and the volleyball team from her high school alma mater.
Miami came up short in a four-set match that day, but the Hurricanes haven’t lost since, winning six straight ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season finale against rival Florida State (18-9, 12-2). Leao enters that match with an ACC-leading 135 blocks and has 248 kills, which ranks second among Miami players.
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