Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds previews Northwestern
Purdue women’s basketball coach previews road game against Northwestern. Tipoff starts tonight at 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue women’s basketball senior Abbey Ellis has shaped the present and future of the program.
She has been a mentor to Purdue’s rising freshman class and motivator for point guard Rashunda Jones.
Ellis etched herself into Purdue history and became the first transfer to reach 1,000 career points. She hit the milestone after scoring a layup in the second half against Northwestern on Wednesday night.
But long before becoming a Boilermaker, she was born and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. Her mother Elizabeth had been a successful junior national Australian player and her father Martin officiated Australian Rules Football.
Ellis had become ordained as a basketball player after shooting from the mini hoop her mom had bought her at four years old. The aggressive-minded point guard wanted to play the brutal sport her father officiated but her mom put up the stop sign.
“She was afraid I was going to get hurt,” Ellis said.
Ellis’ basketball journey flew her 7,857 miles across the Pacific Ocean to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and excelled in the Big West Conference. Ellis averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game during her freshman year in 2019-2020, scored 37 points against UC Riverside and scored a game-winning layup against Lamar that year.
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Ellis put up similar numbers as a sophomore before the COVID-19 pandemic and transfer portal would allow more options to open. She needed a new challenge and then first-year coach Katie Gearlds needed a point guard.
“I knew I wanted to go to a Big Ten school because I thought that was where the best players were,” Ellis said. “I fit into that style of basketball against bigger bodies and I needed to push myself. Katie Gearlds was literally the first coach to reach out to me. That was a green flag for me.”
The passionate Aussie has been a consistent voice of leadership, reason and confidence for the program over the past two years. Ellis has averaged 13 points per game while becoming a close confidante of rising freshman point guard and South Bend native Rashunda Jones.
“In the summer we didn’t talk really that much because I’m new and I’m a freshman,” Jones said. “We were competing for spots but as the season came, Abbey took me under her wing and we compliment each other really well. We call her the ‘Energizer Bunny’ for a reason.”
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Jones has relied on Ellis to boost her confidence in what’s been a roller coaster season for Purdue (10-13, 3-8 Big Ten). The Boilermakers will attempt to win its their first road conference game of the season against Northwestern Thursday at 8 p.m.
“She always uplifts me no matter what,” Jones said. “I could miss 10 shots in a row and Abbey will tell me it’s going to fall. The same thing goes for her if she’s missing.”
The bond between the two players has tightened off the court. Jones and Ellis will call each other up to discuss dress plans before attending etiquette dinners and connect in the locker room before tipoff.
“I’m super proud of Abby and I’m going to cry on her senior night and when she leaves,” Jones said. “I’m so proud of her.”
Ellis has been the voice of optimism for the past two years. She hasn’t allowed her smaller size affect her results and attacks defenses head on.
Fearless and persistent, Ellis has become a proven leader in arriving in West Lafayette.
“It’s kind of that recognition wants and puts in hours behind the scenes to get those points,” Ellis said. “I feel like I’ve grown as a player here. I’ve played different roles. I’ve adjusted to what the team needs. And Katie Gearlds has helped me become that adaptive player that’s made me blossom. Not only as a basketball player but having the confidence to adjust to many different environments.”
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@gannett.com, on Twitter at EthanAHansonand Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.