Utah State University

Ella Persson has achieved several milestones in her volleyball career:

• In 2019, at the age of 14, she received the Skåne Volleyball Association Olympic fund for leadership.
• In 2021, she won the leadership award for the graduating class at Rydebäcksskolan.
• In 2021, she gained admission into Riksidrottsgymnasiet in Falköping, the Swedish national high-performance volleyball academy.
• In her third year at the academy, Ella represented Sweden as a starting libero, leading the U19 team to a Northern European Volleyball Zonal Association gold medal.
• This victory helped Sweden qualify for the U20 European Championships for the first time since 1985.

Ella's family has a strong background in sports:

• Her father's name is Johan Persson and her mother's name is Jeanette Persson.
• She has one brother who competed nationally in weightlifting.
• Her father played Division 1 volleyball in Sweden and became a champion with Örkelljunga Volleybollklubb.
• Her mother also played Division 1 volleyball and recently led IFK Helsingborg Volleybollklubb to a Division 3 Swedish Championship.

Ella's primary passion is volleyball, and she hopes to make a career out of it. She also enjoys weightlifting, watching films (favorites include "Shawshank Redemption," "Forrest Gump," and the "Hobbit" movies), and traveling. Some of her favorite travel destinations are Denmark and Croatia. In high school, Ella studied economics and is considering specializing in digital marketing or business. She also has an interest in writing for movies and television.

Ella chose to attend USU Eastern due to the supportive environment and strong student support mechanisms. She has received immense support from the school, coaches, and academic advisors, making it an ideal destination for her transatlantic journey.