Women’s Basketball Inks Elina Aarnisalo From UCLA
April 15, 2025 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Continuing to strengthen its roster for the 2025-26 campaign, North Carolina women's basketball has signed Elina Aarnisalo from UCLA with head coach Courtney Banghart announcing the news on Tuesday.
"We are thrilled to add Elina to our Tar Heel program. She brings so much competitive experience, including her most recent time in an NCAA Final Four as well as extensive international competition," said Banghart. "Elina is an elite competitor and a dynamic play maker for herself and for others. She will help us play fast and connected.
Also important, she fit in so seamlessly to our culture, as the team went from meeting her to wanting her a part of us in a matter of moments. I recruited Elina since her days playing in Finland and Belgium and I'm overjoyed and eager that now is the time I get to be her coach. Let's get to work!"
Appearing in all 37 games for the Bruins en route to a Final Four run, Aarnisalo made 10 starts in her debut campaign and averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 assists per game in her first season of collegiate action.
The guard from Helsinki, Finland, recorded five games in double-figure scoring and dished out a career-high 11 assists against Arkansas. Aarnisalo tallied 12 games with five or more dimes.
Boasting plenty of international experience, Aarnisalo appeared in the Finland Korisliiga with HBA-Marksy where she averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She also touts playing experience in Belgium in the BNXT league with the Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen. In four games during the 2023-24 Eurocup, Aarnisalo posted 12.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46.7% from the field.
Playing for her native country of Finland in the 2022 FIBA U18 Women's European Championships, she led her team in scoring with 17.9 points per game along with 4.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
Aarnisalo is the second addition for the Tar Heels from the transfer portal this off-season, joining Nyla Harris from Louisville. The two join a Carolina roster returning 11 letter-winners from a team that reached the Sweet 16 in 2025 and earned 29 wins.
"We are thrilled to add Elina to our Tar Heel program. She brings so much competitive experience, including her most recent time in an NCAA Final Four as well as extensive international competition," said Banghart. "Elina is an elite competitor and a dynamic play maker for herself and for others. She will help us play fast and connected.
Also important, she fit in so seamlessly to our culture, as the team went from meeting her to wanting her a part of us in a matter of moments. I recruited Elina since her days playing in Finland and Belgium and I'm overjoyed and eager that now is the time I get to be her coach. Let's get to work!"
Appearing in all 37 games for the Bruins en route to a Final Four run, Aarnisalo made 10 starts in her debut campaign and averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 assists per game in her first season of collegiate action.
The guard from Helsinki, Finland, recorded five games in double-figure scoring and dished out a career-high 11 assists against Arkansas. Aarnisalo tallied 12 games with five or more dimes.
Boasting plenty of international experience, Aarnisalo appeared in the Finland Korisliiga with HBA-Marksy where she averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She also touts playing experience in Belgium in the BNXT league with the Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen. In four games during the 2023-24 Eurocup, Aarnisalo posted 12.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 46.7% from the field.
Playing for her native country of Finland in the 2022 FIBA U18 Women's European Championships, she led her team in scoring with 17.9 points per game along with 4.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
Aarnisalo is the second addition for the Tar Heels from the transfer portal this off-season, joining Nyla Harris from Louisville. The two join a Carolina roster returning 11 letter-winners from a team that reached the Sweet 16 in 2025 and earned 29 wins.
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