After spending a season away from UCLA, Elina Aarnisalo is back in Westwood.
The Finnish guard made her collegiate debut with UCLA women’s basketball during the 2024-25 season and helped the Bruins reach the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. She started in 10 games as a true freshman and averaged 5.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.
Like the rest of UCLA’s freshman class and two juniors that season, Aarnisalo transferred after the Final Four run. The Bruins’ entire starting lineup was set to return for the 2025-26 season, which meant playing time would be limited for those coming off the bench.
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UCLA also acquired guard Gianna Kneepkens from the transfer portal.
Aarnisalo explained how UCLA’s six-women WNBA draft class made her want to come back to the program. She said there were now more openings in the starting lineup, and she saw how much those former Bruins succeeded when they won the NCAA title.
“There’s going to be a lot of spots on the team open now after a big draft class,” Aarnisalo said to reporters after UCLA’s first practice on Thursday. “And a lot of seniors leaving, that obviously interested me too. Talking with Cori [about] what my role could be on this team and what we could accomplish this year … just knowing the standards at UCLA, how we practice, how they focus on individual work; I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen my old teammates [and] how they’ve succeeded in this environment, which is why I wanted to come back.”
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Aarnisalo’s Season With North Carolina
Aarnisalo started in 26 of the 36 games she played with the Tar Heels as a sophomore during the 2025-26 season. She averaged 10.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.9 steals per game.
Aarnisalo helped North Carolina reach the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Now, she will help UCLA build a new identity after winning last year’s national title.
Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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