Arizona Christian University

Elena joined the Firestorm staff in August 2025.  The former Elena Popkey had an outstanding four-year NCAA Division I basketball playing career at Oakland University in Michigan where she amassed 1,473 career points and became the school’s all-time assist leader with 483.  She ranks 6^th all-time in three-pointers made (184) and 11^th in scoring.  Additional honors include the Horizon League recipient of the Bobby Fong Award (based on character values) and two-time nominee of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Good Works Team.

She went on to complete a remarkable six-year professional basketball career in Germany (2016-17) and Sweden (2017-22).  In addition to her outstanding playing career, from 2017 thru 2022, she served as Head Coach of the Swedish Ostersund team that she also played on.
Faith-focused as an athlete and coach, Elena was President of Oakland University’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) chapter from 2013 thru 2016 and Vice-President of the school’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Elena played her high school basketball at Warren Cousino High School, where she was the first-ever women’s basketball 1,000 point scorer and the 2012 Macomb County Player of the Year in 2012.

Elena and her husband, Austen, are expecting their first child in November, 2025.  The couple resides in Surprise, Arizona.