Leah Van Dale is an American professional wrestler, dancer, and model, best known as Carmella in WWE. A second-generation wrestler, her father, Paul Van Dale, worked as a jobber for WWF in the 1980s and 1990s. Van Dale signed with WWE in June 2013, joining their developmental brand NXT in Orlando, Florida. Adopting the ring name Carmella, she debuted on September 4, 2014, as a hairdresser in a segment with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, later becoming their manager. Her in-ring debut came on October 16, 2014, against an opponent dubbed Blue Pants.
In July 2016, Carmella debuted on WWE’s main roster on SmackDown. She made history in June 2017 by winning the inaugural women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. After holding the contract for a record 287 days, she cashed in on April 10, 2018, defeating Charlotte Flair to become the first woman to successfully cash in the Money in the Bank opportunity, capturing the SmackDown Women’s Championship. She held the title until August 2018, defending it against challengers like Asuka and Charlotte Flair.
In 2019, Carmella won the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal and the WWE 24/7 Championship multiple times. She later formed an alliance with Queen Zelina, winning the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship in November 2021. After an injury and hiatus, she returned to Raw in January 2023, competing in the Elimination Chamber match. Van Dale’s career highlights include ranking No. 7 in the 2018 PWI Women’s 100 and No. 93 in the 2021 PWI Women’s 150.