Photo Courtesy of UD Media Services

NEW YORK – The Associated Press recently released its 2009-10 preseason All-America women’s basketball team comprised of five members and another 14 who received votes. University of Delaware redshirt freshman Elena Delle Donne received votes in the poll.

Maya Moore, a junior at Connecticut, was a unanimous first pick receiving 40 votes. Stanford senior Jayne Appel received 34 votes and Connecticut senior Tina Charles received 28, while Ohio State junior Jantel Lavender and Virginia senior Monica Wright both earned 20 votes to close out the top five spots voted on by a 40-member national media panel.

Fourteen individuals selected from 14 various teams also received votes in the poll. Listed in alphabetical order they are: Ashley Barlow, Notre Dame; Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee; Alysha Clark, Middle Tennessee State; Elena Delle Donne, Delaware; Alexis Gray-Lawson, California; Brittney Griner, Baylor; Allison Hightower, LSU; Danielle McCray, Kansas; Deirdre Naughton, DePaul; Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford; Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State; Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State; Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma; Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga.

Recently selected to the 2009-10 Full Court Press Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 fourth team, Delle Donne (at right) was named the National Player of the Year by the Naismith, McDonald’s and Gatorade foundations during the 2007-08 season at nearby Ursuline Academy. As a high school junior she was named co-Delaware State Player of the Year and was later tabbed Player of the Year as a senior after becoming the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association’s all-time leading scorer with 2,818 points.

The Hens will open their season with seven consecutive road games, debuting at DeGol Arena at St. Francis, Pa., at 7 p.m.