Purdue lands ex-Marian guard and NAIA National Player of Year, Ella Collier

Katie Gearlds and the Boilermakers continued a busy off-season in the transfer portal on Thursday as Purdue netted a commitment from two-time NAIA National Player of the Year and former Marian guard Ella Collier.

Collier spent four years with the Knights, having an all-time career for the NAIA powerhouse. The 6-foot guard was an NAIA All-American four straight years and owns the program's all-time scoring record, which was previously held by current Purdue Director of Video/Recruiting Assistant Lakan Hasser-Smith. Collier also set program records in scoring average, field goals made, three-point field goals made, three-point field goal percentage, free throws made, free throw percentage and games started.

During her final year at Marian, she averaged 19.0 points, 2.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. Collier was also the only NAIA player to shoot 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 90% from the free throw line, doing so for a fourth consecutive season.

Prior to her standout career at Marian, Collier was an Indiana All-Star in 2020 at Danville High School. Other All-Stars in that class included Sydney Parrish, Madison Layden, Ra'Shaya Kyle and Kendall Bostic. As a senior, Collier averaged 23.5 points per game, winning a sectional title with the Warriors.

Gearlds reunites with one of her former players, having coached Collier for one season (2020-21) before being hired as Purdue's Associate Head Coach, then head coach in 2021.

Collier will provide a much needed shooter for a Purdue team that had just one player on the roster that has eclipsed the 35% threshold in their career (Sophie Swanson at 39% last season). Her size also gives the Boilermakers a potentially versatile defender who had 114 steals across the last two seasons.

The newest Boilermaker now joins Purdue's young backcourt quartet of Swanson, Amiyah Reynolds, Rashunda Jones, and Jordyn Poole as another veteran presence being brought into the program this off-season, alongside fellow transfers Destini Lombard (Stephen F. Austin) and Mahri Petree (UTEP).

Collier could very well step into a starting role from day one next to a combination of Reynolds, Swanson and Jones next season, where she will have one year of eligibility remaining with the Boilermakers.