University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hen Senior Elena Delle Donne Unanimous Pick For Associated Press Women's Basketball Preseason All-America Team
10/31/2012 9:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW YORK -- University of Delaware senior standout Elena Delle Donne was a unanimous choice on the Associated Press women's basketball preseason All-America team, receiving all 40 votes from a national media panel on Tuesday.
Delle Donne, Baylor senior Brittany Griner, and Notre Dame senior Skylar Diggins were all listed on all 40 ballots. Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike (23 votes), Maryland's Alyssa Thomas (19), and Baylor's Odyssey Sims (19) rounded out the squad.
Delle Donne becomes the first player from a non-BCS conference to earn preseason All-America honors since Amanda Wilson of Louisiana Tech in 1998-99.
“It's an amazing honor to be part of that group and to be mentioned among the great players who are on that list,” Delle Donne said. “But it is only the preseason and we all have to prove ourselves and we all have a lot of work to do to get where we want to be.”
Delle Donne continues to collect preseason awards, as she previously was named to the Preseason Wade Player of the Year Watch List and was selected the Preseason Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year at the league's media day.
Delle Donne, who led the nation in scoring with 28.1 points per game, was a consensus first team All-American last year, earning honors from the Associated Press, WBCA, USWBA, Naismith Award, and John Wooden Award. She also earned the CAA Player of the Year Award for the second time in the last three years.
Delle Donne, who became only the 15th player in NCAA Division I women's basketball history to surpass the 900-point mark for a season, also led the Blue Hens with 10.3 rebounds per game, 86 blocked shots, 39 steals, and 52 three-point field goals while ranking second on the team with 75 assists.
Delle Donne and the Blue Hens, coming off a record-setting 31-2 season in which they went undefeated in the CAA and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round, open their regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 with an 8 p.m. home game against Sam Houston State in the first round of the Preseason WNIT.
