Four years, four All-American campaigns, a pair of NAIA National Player of the Year awards and laying claim to being Marian's all-time leading scorer. Just about anything one could accomplish in a collegiate career, Ella Collier did it.
Throughout that success at the NAIA level, Collier's mind wondered toward how she would perform do at the Division I level.
"It's definitely something I've always thought about," Collier said. "I loved Marian and I just wanted to show my loyalty to them and finish out the four years and be someone and something there. Which, I can say I got to accomplish within those four years. So then I just kind of felt like returning for my fifth year, it's like what else is there to accomplish? I got to do everything that I could have ever dreamt of doing there. So, I thought maybe it's time to take it to the next level so that I can translate my game to do one level."
A move from NAIA to Division I wasn't as picture perfect as she may have hoped, however. Upon exploring the possibility, the schools to reach out, which included Butler, Bradley, Northern Kentucky and others, didn't quite pique the interest of the Marian star.
Collier's mind went from a potential jump in competition to either returning to Marian or hanging up the sneakers for good. That's when her former head coach came calling with an opportunity of a lifetime.
"So like my only option at the time, was just return back to Marian if I wanted to take my fifth year. It was either no fifth year and or return back to Marian. Then Sunday night, Coach G, she reached out to me," Collier said.
Katie Gearlds and Collier were together for one year, during the now Purdue head coach's last season with the Knights in 2020-21. Collier reflected back to what drew her toward Gearlds her first time in the recruiting process and how the two formed a close bond during their one year together.
"She took the time to get to know me as a person and as a player. She doesn't coach or try to understand each of her players the same. She actually takes the time to get to know you and how you need to be coached, how you need to be talked to and that's what really kind of built our relationship," Collier said.
Gearlds expressed her desire to get Collier up to West Lafayette for a visit, where she provided another avenue for the ex-Marian standout.
"She had reached out to me and was like, we really want you to come visit campus sometime this week. Before you say yes or no visit, see how it feels, how you like it, and then let us know," Collier said.
Despite the opportunity and what it would mean for her basketball career, Collier was still iffy regarding her future endeavors on the hardwood. Whatever doubt was in her mind vanished shortly after getting on campus, however.
"The second I got to campus I kind of knew in the back of my mind like okay, yeah, I'm definitely going to commit here," Collier said. "I just felt comfortable. I felt at home. It just felt like I fit in, like I had been there before if that makes sense."
Not only did Collier have a prior connection to Gearlds, but she was also coached by Director of Video Lakan Hasser-Smith and played with Graduate Assistant Abby Downard at Marian. Collier views the mini Marian reunion as something that will ease the transition from the Crossroads Conference to the Big Ten.
"I definitely think it had to do with knowing what to expect. Like I know Coach G. I know what to expect from her. I know what to expect from some of the other people on the coaching staff, so it was a very comfortable feeling for me," Collier said.
Now, the back-to-back NAIA National Player of the Year is ready to embark on a new chapter of her basketball story with the Boilermakers in 2024-25. While she recognizes some may question whether she can make the jump, Collier believes her game will translate to the next level, particularly her track record as a marksman from three-point range.
During her four years with the Knights, Collier was a career 45% shooter from beyond the arc, along with marks of 54% on field goals and 94% from the free throw line. Her perimeter shooting, which Purdue was searching for this off-season, will be what the coaching staff is looking to her to provide next year in Mackey Arena.
Just because she is moving up a level in the basketball world, Collier doesn't expect her game to change all that much, sharing that the Purdue staff wants to see the type of skillset that made her a four-time All-American.
"Work on my game and not taking anything away from it, just advancing it. I know that's definitely what the coaches want for me. You know, they don't want me to hang back and not play how I've played for four years at the college level," Collier said.
A leadership position will also be expected of the soon-to-be fifth-year senior guard, who is now the most experienced player on the Boilermakers' roster with 136 career games under her belt. Becoming a mentor for the young Purdue core of Amiyah Reynolds, Jordyn Poole, Rashunda Jones, Sophie Swanson and McKenna Layden will be a key role for Collier upon her arrival to Purdue.
"Being a fifth year, I definitely think there's going to be some sort of leadership role. I know I only will be there one year with them, but hopefully building those relationships over the summer will help with that. Being able to lead by example, that's kind of my type of leadership role," Collier said.
Purdue added Collier to its transfer portal class that also features Reagan Bass (Akron), Destini Lombard (Stephen F. Austin) and Mahri Petree (UTEP), in what will be a new-look roster heading into summer workouts.
