Boston College announced on May 21 the signing of Gabriela Bernal Ortellado to its women’s basketball team.
The addition of Bernal Ortellado marks the fourth international player to join the program, following Daniele Paunksnyte from Lithuania and Canadians Megan Hollingsworth and Eunicia Salgado. This move reflects Boston College’s ongoing efforts to bring diverse talent to its roster.
Head coach Kate Popovec-Goss said, “We are so excited to welcome Gabi to Boston. Gabi is a tremendously skilled post player with a versatile offensive skill set. She has great hands, finishes at the rim, but her most valuable skill is her ability to pass and facilitate offense. Gabi is also a great shot blocker and rebounder, and her extensive international playing experience has allowed her to mature beyond her years on the court. Welcome home, Gabi!”
Bernal Ortellado is a 6-foot-3 center from Asunción, Paraguay. She attended Edison Academics in Orlando, Florida, where she earned spots on both the All-Grind Session Team and All-Defensive Team for the 2025-26 season. During travel ball with the Miami Suns, she ranked among the top ten rebounders at Nike Nationals.
Internationally, Bernal Ortellado represented Paraguay at multiple levels. At the 2024 FIBA South American Championship for Team Paraguay, she averaged 10 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 49 percent from the field; highlights included four double-digit rebounding games and two double-doubles—one being a standout performance with 17 points and 12 rebounds against Bolivia. She previously played for Paraguay’s U17 national team in 2023 at the South American Women’s Championship as well as for their U15 squad in 2022 where she averaged nearly thirteen points and over thirteen rebounds across ten games.
Bernal Ortellado is joined by family members Christian Bernal (father), Natalia Ortellado (mother), Agustina (sibling), and Paula (sibling). The program anticipates that her experience will add depth both offensively and defensively in upcoming seasons.
