University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Earns Vote in Associated Press Pre-Season Top 25 Poll; Delle Donne Among Pre-Season All-Americans
11/1/2011 10:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW YORK -- The University of Delaware women's basketball squad is the pre-season favorite to capture the Colonial Athletic Association title this season, but the Blue Hens are receiving notice at the national level as well.
For the third time in her tenure as head coach, Tina Martin's squad has earned notice in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Blue Hens received a vote in the pre-season poll announced earlier this week and were the only team in the CAA to be recognized. Delaware also received notice in the AP Top 25 polls during the 2006-07 and 2009-10 campaigns. The votes in 2009-10 also occurred in the pre-season poll.
In addition to the team honor, Blue Hen junior guard/forward Elena Delle Donne (at right) was among 21 players mentioned on the Associated Press Pre-Season All-American team announced Tuesday. Brittney Griner of Baylor, Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame, Nnemkadi Ogwumike of Stanford, Shenise Johnson of Miami, and Shekinna Stricklen of Tennessee were named to the first team and Delle Donne was among 16 other players earning votes, including CAA foe Courtney Hurt of VCU.
Optimism is running high in the Blue Hen camp as Martin, who begins her 16th year of the helm, welcomes back a squad that lost just one letterwinner and returns all five starters from a team that posted a 20-14 overall record and advanced to the league title game before falling to James Madison in the championship game. The Hens then moved on to the Women's NIT Tournament where they dropped a close battle with eventual tournament champion Toledo in the opening round.
The Hens have posted 20 or more wins nine times in the last 12 years and advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice and to the WNIT six times during that span.
“We are excited, we are anxious to get going, and we want to prove that we deserve all of this pre-season attention," said Delaware head coach Tina Martin. "It's great to be a Blue Hen right now and we are ready and raring to go.”
The Blue Hens are centered around Delle Donne, a 6-5 guard/forward who is once again a candidate for national player of the year honors after leading the USA to the gold medal at the World University Games in China this past summer. Back in October she was also named the CAA pre-season Player of the Year.
Despite missing nearly half the season with illness and injuries a year ago, Delle Donne still averaged 25.3 points per game and would have led the nation in the category had she played enough games. The two-time first team All-CAA performer also contributed 7.8 rebounds per game, blocked 58 shots, drained 36 three-pointers, and shot 94.4 percent from the foul line.
But the Blue Hen attack features even more firepower. Junior guard Lauren Carra earned third team All-CAA honors a year ago when she averaged 10.8 points and led the team with 85 assists and 46 three-pointers and is joined by fellow returning starters in junior forward Danielle Parker (8.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg), senior guard Jocelyn Bailey (7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg), and senior guard Vanessa Kabongo (6.2 ppg). Among the top newcomers are a pair of guards in transfers Trumae Lucas from the University of Florida and Akeema Richards from West Virginia University.
Delaware kicks off the University's homecoming events on Friday, Nov. 11 when the Rams of the University of Rhode Island visit the Bob Carpenter Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Acierno Arena. Great season and single game tickets are available by logging on to www.bluehens.com or calling 302-831-2257.
Baylor earned the top spot in the AP poll, which is selected from a group of sportswriters and broadcasters, by earning 33 of the 39 first place votes. Notre Dame earned six first place votes and was at No. 2 in the poll followed by Tennessee, Connecticut, Stanford, defending national champion Texas A&M, Miami (Fla.), Duke, Louisville, and Georgetown in the Top 10.
Penn State, who the Blue Hens will face on Nov. 17 at the Bob Carpenter Center, is ranked No. 12 in the poll while Maryland, a potential opponent for the Hens at the Maryland Tournament on Dec. 29, was ranked No. 11.
AGATE:
Associated Press Pre-Season NCAA Women's Basketball Division I Top 25 Poll:
1. Baylor (33 first place votes), 988 points; 2. Notre Dame (6), 934; 3. Tennessee, 906; 4. Connecticut, 876; 5. Stanford, 852; 6. Texas A&M, 772; 7. Miami (Fla.), 750; 8. Duke, 705; 9. Louisville, 690; 10. Georgetown, 585; 11. Maryland, 569; 12. Penn State, 491; 13. Georgia, 432; 14. Florida State, 428; 15. Oklahoma, 428; 16. Rutgers, 283; 17. Purdue, 277; 18. Kentucky, 275; 19. DePaul, 263; 20. North Carolina, 261; 21. LSU, 228; 22. UCLA, 175; 23. USC, 158; 24. Texas, 152; 25. St. John's, 151.
Others receiving votes: Ohio St. 118, Michigan St. 95, Gonzaga 57, Texas Tech 41, Green Bay 32, Iowa 20, California 19, Georgia Tech 17, Kansas St. 15, Iowa St. 12, Xavier 6, Vanderbilt 4, Temple 4, Marist 4, Dayton 4, Oral Roberts 2, Florida 2, Marquette 1,Delaware 1, Pittsburgh 1.
