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.

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

Career

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Early years

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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

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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

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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

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College

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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

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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

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  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.