Leunen was named Gatorade state player of the year in 2004. Rated as the 14th best power forward prospect by Rivals.com, Leunen chose the University of Oregon over offers from UCLA and Gonzaga University as well as many others.
Leunen's achievement of being named Gatorade state player of the year in 2004 is notable. As a top power forward prospect, he was also ranked 14th by Rivals.com and made a significant decision to attend the University of Oregon after considering other prominent programs.