Ella Fajardo

Ella Fajardo
Ella Fajardo during the 2023 SEA Games
No. 10 – Iona Gaels
PositionPoint guard
LeagueMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Personal information
Born (2003-03-15) March 15, 2003 (age 21)
Bergenfield, New Jersey, U.S.
NationalityFilipino
Listed height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Career information
High schoolGill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, New Jersey)
College
Medals
Representing  Philippines
Women's basketball
Southeast Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 Phnom Penh Team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Hanoi Team
Representing  Philippines
Women's 3x3 basketball
FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Malaysia Team

Ella Patrice Totengco Fajardo (born March 15, 2003[1]) is a Filipino college basketball player who plays for the Iona Gaels of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). She represents the Philippine national team in international competitions.

Career[edit]

Early years[edit]

Fajardo learned the fundamentals of playing basketball by attending a Milo-Best Center in the Philippines. In the United States she attended Gill St. Bernard's School, playing for her high school's basketball team.[2][3] In her senior year, Fajardo helped her school win the championship securing her a scholarship at Fairleigh Dickinson University.[4]

College[edit]

Fajardo announced in July 2021 her commitment to play for NCAA Division I sides Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.[5][6] The National University in the Philippines also tried to recruit her.[7]

Fajardo redshirted the 2021–22 season due to commitments to the Philippine women's team.[8] She made her debut during the 2022–23 season in a loss to Marquette, leading the team with 16 points.[9] She then got 14 points in a win over Cornell, and got Rookie of the Week honors.[10] That season, FDU lost in the NEC Finals to Sacred Heart and lost in the first round of the 2023 WNIT.[11][12]

In June 2023, Fajardo announced that she would be moving to Iona University to play for the Gaels. She would have to redshirt for one year.[13]

National team[edit]

Fajardo, a native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, is eligible to play for the Philippines through both of her parents. She holds dual citizenship.[14]

Fajardo has played for the Philippine women's 3x3 team which won a bronze medal in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup in Malaysia[15] and reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup in Mongolia.[16][17]

She debuted for the Philippine women's team at the 2021 FIBA Women's Asia Cup in India.[18]

Career statistics[edit]

College[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
|2022–23 Fairleigh Dickinson 32 1 20.8 38.7 38.8 81.6 2.4 1.3 0.3 0.0 1.8 7.8
2023–24 Iona 30 29 31.3 30.9 24.5 82.5 3.7 3.4 1.1 0.1 2.5 7.1
Career 62 30 25.9 34.5 31.8 82.0 3.0 2.3 0.7 0.0 2.2 7.5
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.[19]

Personal life[edit]

Fajardo runs a YouTube channel, which as of May 2023, has 125k subscribers.[8][20] She has her own name, image and likeness (NIL) deal through a company in the Philippines.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ella Patrice FAJARDO (PHI)'s Profile". FIBA Women's Asia Cup Division A 2021. FIBA. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  2. ^ Naredo, Camille (September 20, 2020). "Ella Fajardo eyes WNBL after NCAA career". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  3. ^ Morales, Luisa (April 15, 2021). "US NCAA-bound Ella Fajardo reminisces pandemic-hit senior year in high school". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  4. ^ Li, Matthew (September 20, 2021). "Ella Fajardo did not expect to be called up by Gilas this early". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  5. ^ Matel, Philip (July 13, 2020). "Ella Fajardo commits to NCAA D1 school Fairleigh Dickinson". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  6. ^ "Women's Basketball Signs Four to 2021-2022 Class". FDU Knights. November 15, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  7. ^ Li, Matthew (July 12, 2020). "Ella Fajardo commits to D1 school Fairleigh Dickinson". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Cooper, Darren (March 2, 2022). "All that and a bag of chips: FDU women's basketball player is also a YouTube star". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "WBB Opens Season with 75-47 Win Over Fairleigh Dickinson". Marquette University Athletics. November 7, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Weekly Release (11/14)". northeastconference.org. November 14, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "All Heart! Sacred Heart Captures Fourth NEC Women's Basketball Crown". northeastconference.org. March 12, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "WNIT Quest Ends in First Round". The Equinox. March 18, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  13. ^ Li, Matthew (June 2, 2023). "Ella Fajardo transfers from Fairleigh to Iona". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  14. ^ "3-on-3 basketball proves to be popular event at Tokyo Olympics". News 12 - New Jersey. August 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Ella Fajardo inspirasyon sa mga batang players" [Ella Fajardo inspiration to youth players]. Pang-Masa (in Filipino). The Philippine Star. September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  16. ^ de la Peña, Leobert Julian (July 13, 2020). "Filipina baller set to make waves in the US". Daily Guardian. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  17. ^ "3x3 basketball: Pinays advance to quarterfinals in FIBA U18 World Cup". ABS-CBN News. June 5, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  18. ^ Micaller, Bea (September 28, 2021). "Debuting Ella Fajardo vows Gilas Women have more to show after defeat to China". GMA News. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  19. ^ "Ella Fajardo College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Ella Patrice Fajardo - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved May 17, 2023.