​Time seems to rush by for everyone, yet the shy, wide-eyed newcomer who is often stunned by everything, sometimes tentative in speaking, eventually becomes a veteran. In Jana El Alfy’s case, she has risen to become the senior figure on the UConn women’s basketball team—the longest-tenured Husky. How does it feel? “It feels weird,” she admitted.
El Alfy arrived in Connecticut from Egypt and enrolled at UConn in January 2023, spending the rest of that season as a redshirt while she acclimated to a new country and a new level of competition. Then tragedy struck: she ruptured her Achilles while playing overseas that summer and sat out the entire 2023-24 season. When she finally took the floor, the 6-foot-5 El Alfy played in all 40 games during the 2024-25 championship season, starting 27 and holding her own during the NCAA Tournament.
The previous year she had been supplanted as the starting center by grad transfer Serah Williams, her minutes dropping from 16 per game to 11.5. Across 69 career games, she has averaged 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in roughly 13 minutes per game. Now, as one of the Huskies’ elders, KK Arnold has noticed El Alfy’s growth in tempo and poise, asking whether her best may still lie ahead.
Now El Alfy is focusing on reclaiming her starting role and becoming the dominant center UConn coaches envisioned when she arrived 43 months ago. “She’s been aggressive,” said senior guard Arnold as the summer sessions drew to a close. “She’s starting to develop that identity where, when she gets the ball and we need her to look to score and then create, you’ve seen that a lot this summer. She’s becoming very vocal on the back-side defense. We need that aggressiveness from Jana, and she understands that; she knows that, and she’s been showing another side of herself that we’re going to need this year.”
Sophomore Gandy Mamou-Mamel added, “Jana brings so much energy. She’s such a big force, energy-wise and physically. Without her, the team would be much quieter. She’s a huge supporter for all of us, and we’re big supporters of her. She’s a dominant player, and I think she brings a dominant energy that we need. She’s grown more confident this summer, and I think she’ll show everyone what they expect.” Junior Allie Ziebell echoed the sentiment: “I expect Jana to have a really great year. This summer she’s shown a lot of improvement in stamina and finishing around the basket. She’s become a more dominant presence this year, which is cool to see.”
El Alfy will also play a crucial behind-the-scenes role. Her experiences as an overseas student have given her a breadth of understanding that can serve as a bridge within a team that includes several international players. She can serve as the big sister, confidant, and sounding board that others turn to. “For them, it’s about being open and learning from everything,” she explained. “The second you step on the court, you should watch, absorb, and be open to learning. Ask questions if you don’t know something. If you’re shy, you might keep things to yourself, but I’ve learned that openness accelerates growth.” In Jana El Alfy’s case, that openness has been evident, and her evolving role embodies the maturation of a player who has lived through a whirlwind of experiences to become a cornerstone for her team.