Ella Jane Connell, PCA’s Powerhouse Point Guard, Signs Letter of Intent with Faulkner University

Ella Jane Connell, a Panther Point Guard and the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 2021 3A Player of the Year, declared her intent to play basketball collegiately after signing with Reed Sutton and the Faulkner University Eagles in Montgomery, Alabama. She is only the third student-athlete in PCA’s basketball program to sign with a four-year athletic program.

Connell is a remarkable example of what can be accomplished with years of hard work. Her varsity record stands at 97-18. “Ella Jane is the definition of a gym rat,” said Coach Jason Roberson, PCA’s head basketball coach. “She has lived in the gym since she was a kid and has tirelessly worked on her game, and it shows”. She holds the school record for number of assists at 502 and counting and is closing in on several other records as she plays out her senior season.

Varsity Stats:
1,930 Points
242 Three-Pointers
254 Free Throws
377 Steals
565 Rebounds

As one of the team’s few seniors this season, she takes her role as the team’s captain seriously. “Ella Jane is one of the greatest servant leaders I have ever seen in my 20 years of coaching,” said Coach Roberson. “She is one of the most humble people I have coached. She truly only cares about the team’s success and not her own.”

Connell has elevated the girls basketball program during her varsity career. The Lady Panthers finished last season as 3A State Champions and are working to get back to the top again this year as PCA is currently 14-0 on the season. “She is an unforgettable basketball player, but an unbelievable person who will be successful in life no matter what she pursues while continuing to honor God along the way!”