Liisa Taponen

Position:
Center
Height:
6-5
Class:
Junior
High School:
Mäkelänrinteen Upper Secondary School | Illinois
Hometown:
Tampere, Finland

2024-25: Appeared in all 31 games for Akron, including 17 starts...averaged 4.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per contest en route to connecting on a team-best 54.2 percent of her shots on the campaign...scored in double figures four times, including netting a career-best 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting at Ohio (Jan. 1)...paced Akron in rebounding in four games and twice surpassed double digits, including, including a career-best 11 rebounds against Michigan (Dec. 20)...led the Zips with a team-high 16 points in an 82-43 win over Canisius (Dec. 7)...added 13- and 10-point efforts versus Bellarmine (Nov. 24) and Slippery Rock (Dec. 4)...rated ninth in the conference in offensive rebounding (2.10).

2024-25 ACCOLADES: Academic All-MAC selection...College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree.

2023-24: Appeared in 25 games for Akron, including earning 12 starts...averaged 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 points per game...connected on 51 percent (25-49) of her shots from the field...collected 74 rebounds, including pulling down 36 caroms on the offensive glass...scored a season-best eight points at Cleveland State (Dec. 10)...pulled down a season-high six rebounds each in four contests...rejected a season-best two blocks versus Miami (Feb. 3)...netted a pair of steals at Canisius (Dec. 30)...twice dished out a pair of assists on the campaign.

PRIOR TO AKRON: Taponen, a native of Tampere, Finland comes to Akron from the University of Illinois where she appeared in nine games during the 2022-23 campaign as a freshman...she competed for Club HBA-Marsky Helsinki as well as playing in the 2022 FIBA U20 Women's European Championship...she averaged 10.7 points and 8.1 rebounds during her prep career, including garnering 11.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest as a senior. During her junior campaign, she posted 11.4 points and 9.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game...she helped Finland to the 2019 FIBA U18 Women's European Championship (Division B), while also competing for Finland in both the 2017 and 2018 U16 European Championships.

PERSONAL: Majoring in applied mathematics...daughter of Miikka and Saara Taponen.