University of Delaware Athletics
Vote Now for Blue Hens? Delle Donne for Senior CLASS Award?
2/7/2013 7:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – University of Delaware women's basketball senior Elena Delle Donne was one of twenty NCAA men's and women's basketball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court selected as finalists for the 2012-13 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate basketball.
To be eligible for the aware, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence including community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Through 15 games played this season, Delle Donne averages 25.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.1 three-pointers and 1.6 assists per contest for the No. 20 Blue Hens. 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 is just 30 points away from breaking the Colonial Athletic Association's all-time scoring record. The forward has posted 2,638 points through her four years at Delaware while James Madison's Dawn Evans collected 2,667 from 2007-11.
In the classroom, Delle Donne carries a 3.63 cumulative grade point average, is a consistent Dean's List student and was named the 2012 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for women's basketball. She was also named the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2012 CAA Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Additionally, she is a four-time member of the CAA Academic Honor Roll.
Delle Donne earned the 2012 Honda Inspiration Award in recognition of commitment and courage in the face of adversity and overcoming hardship while excelling in her sport.
She is extremely active in numerous Delaware team community service activities, including visits to A.I. DuPont Children's Hospital and work with Delaware Special Olympics
The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 men's candidates and 30 women's candidates announced in October.
Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website or on the Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through March 25. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner.
The women's Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women's Final Four® in New Orleans April 7 and 9. The men's winner will be announcing during the Men's Final Four® in Atlanta April 6 and 8.
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.
2012-13 Women's Senior CLASS Finalists
Brittany Chambers (Kansas State), Layshia Clarendon (Cal Berkeley), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Jacqui Kalin (Northern Iowa), Kevi Luper (Oral Roberts), Anna Martin (DePaul), Drey Mingo (Purdue), Chelsea Poppens (Iowa State), Jaime Printy (Iowa)
2012-13 Men's Senior CLASS Finalists
Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's), Mike Groselle (The Citadel), Jordan Hulls (Indiana), Jonathan Lee (Northeastern), C.J. McCollum (Lehigh), Mike Muscala (Bucknell), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Peyton Siva (Louisville), Andrew Smith (Butler), Marc Trasolini (Santa Clara)
