Elina Aarnisalo

Position:
G
Height:
5-10
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Helsinki, Finland
High School:
Mäkelänrinne Upper Secondary School
Prev School:
UCLA

2025-26 (Regular Season): Played in all 31 games, making 21 starts ... Scored a career-high 22 points in the regular season finale against Duke ... Only Tar Heel to post multiple 20 point outings, going for 20 points at Virginia and 22 points against Duke ... Shot a career-best four threes against the Cavaliers and the Blue Devils ... Four games with five or more assists ... Grabbed a career-high eight rebounds against Elon ... Snagged a career-best four steals at Boston College ...16 games scoring in double-figures ... Drained 33 threes at a 41.3% clip ... Averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

At UCLA

2024-25: Appeared in all 37 games for UCLA in her debut campaign, making 10 starts … Tallied a season-high 19 points against Colgate, shooting 8-of-10 from the field … Dished out a season-best 11 assists against Arkansas … Scored 13 points in the Bruins win over then No. 1 South Carolina … Five games in double-figure scoring … 12 games with five or more assists … Averaged 5.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.

More on Aarnisalo: Daughter of Piaa and Antti Aarnisalo …. Played in the Finland Korisliiga with HBA-Marksy prior to her collegiate career, averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game … Also spent time in the BNXT League in Belgium with the Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen … Represented her home country of Finland at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s European Championships, posting 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game … Chose UNC because of the program’s winning mentality, great education and the focus on player development … Enjoys playing tennis, shopping or watching other sports outside of basketball … Looks up to Sabrina Ionescu and Marine Johannes … Can speak four languages.