OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College sophomore Paige Elston will continue her athletic and academic careers at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, Ark. The 5-5 guard from Lee's Summit, Mo. (Lee's Summit HS) signed a national letter-of-intent to play for the Lady Lions and head women's basketball coach Tari Cummings. UAFS finished 10-17 last year and 7-7 in the Heartland Conference. 

In her two seasons, Elston helped Johnson County to a record of 52-13 and a top 10 national ranking in 22 of 24 national polls, including seven straight at No. 1 in 2018-19.                                    

Last season, Elston was selected second-team All-Region VI and All-Kansas Jayhawk Division II Conference honors. She was also the team's Cavalier Award winner for 2018-19. Elston averaged 11.1 points, third-best on the team, along with 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals. She led the team with 50 steals and was third with 64 assists. Her 50 steals tied for fifth in the conference, and 64 assists ranked 10^th. She also made 33 3-point baskets over the season, third-best on the team. Elston shot 76 percent at the line, and 84 percent in conference play. She scored in double figures 16 times, and topped 20 or more points twice, pouring in 22 in a 76-52 win over Graceland JV and 23 in a 97-64 win at Southeast. 

As a freshman, Elston averaged 10.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game and was selected as a second-team All-Region VI performer. She ranked 38^th in the NJCAA and fourth in the conference with 122 assists. Her 3.9 assists per game average was third in the conference. She also led the conference and ranked 28^th nationally with a free throw percentage of .783, which also ranks 11^th on JCCC's season chart. Elston reached double digits in points 19 times, twice in assists and once in rebounds. In early January, Elston flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in a win over State Fair. That effort earned KJCCC D-II Player of the Week in week seven.  Ten days later she became just the fourth player in team history to register a triple-double, registering 10 points, 10 boards and 10 assists in an 89-55 win at Missouri Valley. 

Elston finished her career at JCCC averaging 10.7 points and 3.0 assists per game. She scored in double figures 39 times, had two double digit rebound games and one double digit assist game. She also leaves as the program's ninth-best free throw shooter at 77.1 percent, and her 664 career points tie for 34^th all-time.