University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Jumps Five Spots to No. 20 in Associated Press Top 25 National Poll; Remain No. 1 in Mid-Major Poll
2/4/2013 7:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware women's basketball team re-entered the Associated Press Top 25 national poll last week and today the Blue Hens jumped five spots asthey were ranked 20th with 205 votes in the country today.
Delaware (18-3; 9-0) is currently amidst a 13-game winning streak and have won 28 consecutive regular season Colonial Athletic Association contests.
Last week, UD received 66 votes to return to the AP Top 25 rankings for a No. 25 spot. Previously, the Hens had dropped out of the Top 25 back on Nov. 19. However, Delaware had been earning votes since then, but not enough to crack the Top 25.
The Blue Hens opened the season with a No. 11 ranking before falling to No. 17 on Nov. 12 after losses to Georgetown and Duquesne in the Pre-Season WNIT.
Baylor stayed No. 1 for the fifth straight week with 997 points with 37 first place votes and a 20-1 overall record. Notre Dame (955), Connecticut (928; three first place votes), Stanford (862) and Duke (845) round out the top five.
Also earning spots in the Top 25 are California, Maryland, Penn State, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville,Tennessee, Purdue, Texas A&M, South Carolina, North Carolina, UCLA, Dayton, Florida State, Delaware, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Syracuse and Iowa State.
Among the teams also receiving votes in the poll are Green Bay, Nebraska, West Virginia, Michigan State, Michigan, Toledo, Kansas, UTEP, Villanova, Washington, Pacific, Southern Methodist, Miami (FL), Middle Tennessee, Creighton, Iowa and Wyoming.
UD defeated Villanova, 59-45, earlier this season.
Additionally, the Blue Hens remained atop the CBI Mid-Major Poll for the fourth straight week with 771 votes and 28 first-place rankings.
A No. 25 pick in the NCAA Division I RPI rankings last week, UD also jumped one spot to No. 24 through games on February 3.
Delaware also earned votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll last week and look to move up as well as that poll is announced Tuesday.
The Hens were ranked for the majority of the 2011-12 campaign, rising as high as No. 7 in the final AP Poll. UD then started the 2012-13 slate with a No. 13 ranking, its first-ever appearance in the preseason poll.
Senior All-American Elena Delle Donne, a recent Capital One/CoSIDA Academic District I First Team honoree, leads the squad with 25.3 points in addition to 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.1 three-pointers and 1.6 assists per contest. Fellow seniors Lauren Carra (11.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Danielle Parker (9.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) also lead the Blue Hens statistically.
Delaware faces their next two opponents on the road as they travel to Towson Thursday for a 7 p.m. game and then to James Madison Sunday for a 2 p.m. tip.
