UCLA WBB Could Get Former Bruin Back Through Transfer Portal

UCLA Bruins guard Elina Aarnisalo (7) controls the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.

Former UCLA guard Elina Aarnisalo has entered the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

Aarnisalo played the 2025-26 season with North Carolina as a sophomore, where she averaged 10.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc. She played in all 36 of the Tar Heels’ games and made 26 starts throughout the season.

With the return of graduate student guard Charlisse Leger-Walker and addition of graduate student guard Gianna Kneepkens to UCLA’s roster, Aarnisalo would have seen limited minutes on the court compared to the 20.9 minutes she averaged as a freshman during the 2024-25 season.

But now, UCLA is in a rebuilding phase after losing six players to the 2026 WNBA Draft. And so, the Finland native could rejoin the Bruins for a larger role in her junior season.

Aarnisalo Played in a Final Four With UCLA

As a freshman at UCLA, Aarnisalo helped the Bruins reach the Final Four for the first time in the NCAA era. UCLA ultimately fell short in the semifinals to UConn, who went on to win the 2025 national championship.

Aarnisalo scored five points and got one rebound in 18 minutes agains the Huskies in the 2025 Final Four. During the 2026 NCAA Tournament with North Carolina, Aarnisalo averaged 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and 0.3 steals in 34 minutes before losing to UConn in the Sweet 16.

UCLA Bruins guard Elina Aarnisalo (7) controls the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.

UCLA just won its first NCAA title in program history this season, and Aarnisalo could come back to help the Bruins rebuild next season.

Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images