Iowa women’s basketball and second-year head coach Jan Jensen are still searching for a transfer portal splash.
Elina Aarnisalo, a former UCLA guard that visited Iowa over the weekend, signed with North Carolina on Tuesday. Aarnisalo just completed her freshman season with the Bruins where she played in 37 games and started 10.
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The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 5.1 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.7% from the field and 27% from 3-point range.
During her 10 starts, Aarnisalo’s averages were 8.6 points, 5.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. A product of Helsinki, Finland, Aarnisalo shot 54.7% from the field and 42.8% from 3-point range in games she started during her frosh campaign.
“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. Elina is an elite competitor and a dynamic play maker for herself and for others. She will help us play fast and connected.
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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,” North Carolina head women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart said of the signing.
Iowa signed five-star guard Addie Deal from Mater Dei High School in California and four-star guard Journey Houston out of Davenport North in Iowa. The Hawkeyes also inked post Layla Hays from Wasilla High School in Alaska.
Iowa is set to return guards Kylie Feuerbach, Teagan Mallegni, Taylor McCabe, Taylor Stremlow and forward Hannah Stuelke and center Ava Heiden.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal target signs with ACC program
