Mercyhurst University Athletics

Leisering graduated from Mercyhurst College, cum laude, in Business Administration in 1981. While earning his degree, he worked for a number of local radio stations in the Erie area and also worked for the Erie Blades/Golden Blades as a public address announcer and radio play-by-play announcer until 1986, when he was hired as the Director of Athletics at Mercyhurst College. As the AD, Leisering's started the men's ice hockey program (now competing in the Division I Atlantic Hockey Association), and the women's soccer program (now competing in the Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference). During his tenure, he hired on coach that is still coaching at Mercyhurst University to this day - Rick Gotkin (men's ice hockey). He also hired Joe Jordano to coach the baseball team. Jordano coached at the University of Pittsburgh, and is also an inductee of the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

After his stint as director of athletics, he then took on the role of educator where he served as the director of the college's radio station and was an instructor in the communication department until 1997. Leisering also spent time as Mercyhurst's sports information director (1997-2006) and as the director of hockey operations (beginning in 2006), retiring from Mercyhurst and that post at the end of the 2008-09 academic year.

In 2005, Leisering was honored with the Irving T. Marsh Award, which signifies Excellence in Sports Information from the Eastern College Athletic Conference Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA), which represents more than 300 colleges/universities from Maine to Virginia and from Pennsylvania to the coast.

Leisering was born in Washington, Pa., but spent most of his time growing up in the Wheeling, WV area. He graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School in 1964 as the school's valedictorian and then served in the United States Air Force from 1967-1974. He was an interpreter in both Mandarin Chinese and German, received exemplary proficiency reports, and was honorably discharged.

After his tenure in the Air Force, Leisering moved to Punxsutawney, Pa. and worked as an on-air announcer in the town's radio station, WPME, from 1975-78. He then moved to Erie, Pa., with his wife, the former Katy Manners of Punxsutawney, in 1978 where he started with the Blades.

Leisering and his wife have three children: Doug of Punxsutawney, David of Erie, and Mary Ellen of Houston, Tx. The couple also have three grandchildren: Courtney, Hailey, and Ryleigh. The Leiserings still reside in Erie and still can be seen at a number of sporting events throughout the community. He still serves as the public address announcer for the Mercyhurst men's and women's hockey teams, and also helps at Edinboro basketball, Penn State Behrend basketball, and occasionally for the Erie Seawolves.

Leisering was inducted into the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in June of 2011.