University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Women's Basketball Star Elena Delle Donne Earns Spot on Capital One/CoSIDA Academic Team
2/3/2012 9:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware women's basketball All-American Elena Delle Donne(at right) has earned countless honors for her play on the court this season in leading the Blue Hens to their first ever national Top 10 ranking.
But it was her work in the classroom that helped the 6-5 junior earn her latest accolade.
Delle Donne, a native of Wilmington, Del. (Ursuline Academy), was honored this week with a spot on the NCAA Division I Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) District 2 All-Academic first team.
The honor marked the second straight year that the early childhood education major, who owns an impressive 3.60 cumulative grade point average, was recognized on the district squad after being named to the second team as a sophomore in 2011.
Delle Donne was one of six players named to the district team and one of 47 student-athletes selected from eight districts across the nation. All first team selections now advance to the national ballot with the Academic All-American being announced later this month.
Student-athletes must carry a 3.3 or better grade point index, be a starter or key reserve, and be a sophomore or older to be eligible. District 2 includes all schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, West Virginia. The teams are selected from a vote of sports information directors at member institutions.
Joining Delle Donne on the District 2 team were Michelle Kurowski of UMBC, Alexandra Williams of Saint Francis (Pa.), Laura Sweeney of Villanova, Alexis Dobbs of American, and Carly Thibault of Monmouth.
A national Player of the Year candidate, Delle Donne currently leads the nation in scoring with 28.4 points per game and ranks fourth in free throw percentage with a mark of 91.2 percent. She also leads the team in rebounding with 10.0 caroms per game, in blocks with 53, in steals with 26, and in three-point field goals with 29. Her 53 assists rank her second on the squad.
Delaware has posted a record of 19-1 and currently is ranked No. 12 nationally by the Associated Press and No. 13 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. The Hens will continue action Sunday when they host Colonial Athletic Association foe VCU at 2 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.
