Leah Van Dale

About Leah Van Dale

Leah Van Dale is an American professional wrestler, dancer, model and former professional cheerleader. As of January 2024, she is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she performs under the ring name Carmella. She is a former WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion.

Van Dale was a cheerleader for the New England Patriots for three seasons, ending in 2010. She successfully auditioned for the Los Angeles Lakers dance team, appearing as a Laker Girl during the 2010–2011 season.

In June 2013, Van Dale signed a contract with WWE and was assigned to their developmental brand NXT in Orlando, Florida. In October 2014, she aligned herself with Enzo Amore and "Big Cass" Colin Cassady, becoming their manager. In July 2016, she made her main roster debut on SmackDown. In June 2017, Carmella became the winner of the inaugural women's Money in the Bank ladder match. In April 2018, she became the first woman in WWE history to successfully cash-in her Money in the Bank opportunity, when she defeated Charlotte Flair to win the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship. In 2019, Carmella won both the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal and the WWE 24/7 Championship. In November 2021, after being drafted to Raw as part of the 2021 Draft, Carmella formed an alliance with Queen Zelina (Zelina Vega) and the two went on to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.

Van Dale is married to color commentator and former professional wrestler Matthew Polinsky, better known as Corey Graves. She is of Dutch and Italian descent.