Senior Spotlight

Ella Van Order-Pacelli

The Pacelli Cardinals finished the 2024-2025 season with a 21-7 record and won the Central Wisconsin-South conference before reaching the 2025 WIAA girls’ basketball sectional semi-final. Ella Van Order, a Second-Team All-CWC-South wing, played a big part in their success. After showing her all-around skills as a junior, she is set to take on an even bigger role in her senior year.

Last season, Ella averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, showing she can help her team in many ways.

Introduced to basketball by her dad, and began to play at the age of four, playing hoops has always been a passion for Ella. “I have loved this sport my entire life. I grew up playing basketball with my older siblings out in the driveway. It has always been a dream of mine to play basketball in college.”

The love of basketball keeps Ella engaged in different aspects of the game. “My favorite part about this sport is how much the game can change at any given time. It is hard to predict the end of the game; there can always be a comeback or an upset. The game is hard, it can be intense, and it’s a mental game. There have been multiple times when the mental game has challenged me, but what keeps me going is my love for the sport. All the action in the game is so exciting. Being mentally tough will always help any player who is just starting out or has been playing for years. The way you present yourself on the court matters.”

Her knowledge of the ins and outs of basketball is what Ella believes is her best attribute about basketball, “I think my biggest asset while competing is my game IQ. I have watched a lot of basketball and have learned a few ways to help our team score and lock up on defense. Also, just being a loud voice on the court is helpful because communication is key.”

Ella has seen her confidence grow throughout her career, “Looking back on my high school career now, I believe that my confidence in the game has improved greatly. This has not only been for basketball, but in life as well. I am confident in the decisions I make, and it helps being a leader and captain on the court.”
Being a part of a basketball family has been part of Ella’s journey on the court,

“My most memorable moment was being able to play basketball with my sister Anna as a freshman,” and having her father as her first coach has been instrumental in her growth, “I would like to shout out my dad for being my first coach, without his hardwork I wouldn’t have the skills I have now. My dad worked hard with me day in and day out. Without his critical feedback and determination, I don’t think I would be as good as I am today without him.

Coach Jake Jalling will always be a memorable coach because when I was in the 5th grade, he had the confidence in me to work hard and challenged me to come to High School practices all throughout middle school, which greatly helped me improve my skills. Playing against older and better players helped my development, and I will always be grateful for Coach Jake Jalling. Coach Ross Jensen, I am also grateful for, he saw potential in me as an 8th grader and helped me improve my skills, and drove me to work hard. I miss his drive and determination.