University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Standout Elena Delle Donne Named to Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America Team? for Third Consecutive Season
2/4/2013 7:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEWARK, Del. – The honors keep rolling in for the Universityof Delaware women's basketball All-American Elena Delle Donne (at right) as she wasnamed recently to the Capital One/CoSIDA District 2 Academic All-America Team® for the third consecutive season. Delle Donne earned the 2012 Division I Academic All-American of the Year.
The 6-5 senior, who averages an extremely impressive 25.3 points per game and is a three-time All-American, also excels in the classroom with a 3.62 grade point average as a Human Services major.
Delle Donne was one of five women's basketball student-athletes to be named to the district team and one of 41 players selected from eight districts across the nation in Division I. All first team selections now advance to the national ballot with the Academic All-American to be announced later this month.
To be nominated for the award, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale). Additionally, the student-athlete must be a sophomore or older for consideration.
District 2 includes all schools in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Kentucky and West Virginia. The teams are selected from a vote of sports information directors at member institutions.
Joining Delle Donne, a Wilmington, Del. native, on the District 2 team for the second straight year were Monmouth's Carly Thibault, American's Alexis Dobbs and Alli Williams of Saint Francis (Pa.). American sophomore Jen Dumiak was a District 2 selection for the first time.
A national Player of the Year candidate, Delle Donne missed six of Delaware's first seven games of the season with symptoms of Lyme Disease. In addition to an average of 25.3 points per game, the forward collects 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.1 three-pointers and 1.6 assists with just one personal foul and one turnover per contest. She has registered a 50.8 three-point shooting percentage in addition to shooting 92.3 percent from the free throw line this season.
Delle Donne, a four-time CAA Player of the Week, has helped lead the No. 25 Blue Hens to an overall record of 18-3 while going 9-0 in Colonial Athletic Association action. Delaware is amidst a 13-game winning streak while tallying 28 straight CAA regular season wins.
The CAA saw two other players on the district lists with Northeastern's Deanna Kerkhof on the District I team and Mairi Buchan of Old Dominion on the District 3 list.
Delle Donne and her UD teammates face 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.
