Following a phenomenal freshman season that saw her UConn Huskies cut down the nets for a historic 12th national title. With Paige Bueckers now in the WNBA, the Huskies are entering a new era. One of the stars to watch will be rising sophomore Jana El-Alfy, a 6’5″ center from Cairo, Egypt.
Let’s take a look at her upbringing and the support system behind her basketball journey.
Who are UConn C Jana El-Alfy’s Parents?
Jana El-Alfy was born in Cairo, Egypt to to Dina Gouhab and Ehab El-Alfy, the Head Coach of the Egyptian Women’s National Basketball Team.
Basketball was introduced to Jana at a young age. She started playing the sport at age three while watching her dad coach. She soon became a national star in her own right, most recently representing Egypt at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2023.
She also participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders’ first-ever camp in Cairo in 2022, where she was named MVP by Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr.
While it is naturally challenging for El-Alfy’s parents to watch their daughter play halfway around the world, they were not going to miss their daughter playing in the Final Four.
Jana El Alfy’s parents are here all the way from Egypt to see her play in her first Final Four! 🫶🏼 pic.twitter.com/VBcFUBxFHY
— Emily Adams (@eaadams6) April 5, 2025
Emily Adams of the Hartford Courant posted a picture on X of the pair sitting behind the UCONN bench at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.
UConn ended up defeating No. 1 seed UCLA 85-51 before advancing to the national title game against No. 1 seed South Carolina. There, the two women’s college basketball bluebloods battled, ultimately resulting in a 82-59 UConn victory.
Along with her college experience at UConn, El-Alfy has also had several chances to represent her home country. In 2023, she played on Egypt’s U19 FIBA Women’s World Cup team. While she suffered an injury during the event, she also had a stellar performance in her first game, scoring 29.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
