University of Arkansas women’s basketball Coach Mike Neighbors and his staff signed Finnish forward Pinja Paananen on Monday.
Paananen, 6-1, played in 19 games on the 16-under, 18-under and 20-under Finland national teams that included two Nordic Championship gold medals in 2021 and 2023.
She was a regular starter last season for Forssan Alku in Naisten Korisliiga, the highest women’s league in Finland, and averaged 5.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 41.1% from the field and a 76.5% from the free-throw line.
Paananen scored a season-high 15 points during an 84-77 victory over Kouvot on Jan. 14 and added 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block and 1 steal.
Arkansas has also signed forward Vera Ojenuwa, 6-4, of Barton (Kan.) Community College.
Neighbors and his staff hosted center/forward Elisa Maria Mehyar, 6-5, of Copenhagen, Denmark, last week for an official visit and are awaiting word on her decision.