Photo courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. -- Thirteen home games and a trip to the Colorado State Tournament in November highlight the 2009-2010 University of Delaware women’s basketball schedule announced Wednesday.

The Blue Hens open regular season play with seven back-to-back road games before hosting a five-game homestand at Frank E. Acierno Arena.

Delaware will make their season debut with a trip to St. Francis on Nov. 17 for a 7 p.m. game, before traveling to Princeton on Nov. 21 for a 6 p.m. contest. The Nov. 21 matchup will be the first since the Hens traveled to Princeton during the 2000-2001 season.

Under the direction of head coach Tina Martin who enters her 14th season at Delaware, the Hens will travel to Fort Collins, Colo. for a two-day tournament Nov. 27-28. On day one, Delaware faces Houston at 5 p.m. before playing either Texas State or Colorado State at 5 or 7 p.m. on Nov. 28.

Upon returning to the east coast, the squad travels to Columbia for a 5:30 p.m. game on Dec. 2. Delaware will then travel to UMBC and Maine on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 7 p.m., respectively, before tipping-off a five-game home stretch.

A Dec. 11, 7 p.m. game against Navy serves as the home opener for the Hens. The Blue and Gold will then host the La Salle Explorers at 1 p.m. on Dec. 13, before playing host to Buffalo on Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. and Massachusetts on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.

Delaware will host CAA powerhouse Old Dominion to open conference play on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. The Hens will then travel to George Mason on Jan. 7 before heading to Boston for a 2 p.m. game at Northeastern on Jan. 10.

The Hens return home to host UNC Wilmington on Jan. 14 at 7 p.m., and defending CAA champions, Drexel, at 2 p.m. on Jan. 17.

Traveling to Virginia Commonwealth and Hofstra on Jan. 21 and 24, respectively, Delaware returns to the Bob Carpenter Center on Jan. 28 to take on the Towson Tigers at 7 p.m.

Following a single road game at Drexel on Jan. 31, Delaware hosts William and Mary at Acierno Arena for a 7 p.m. contest on Feb. 4 and George Mason on Feb. 7 at 2 p.m.

The Blue Hens will face the ODU Lady Monarchs on Feb. 11 in Norfolk, Va. They will later take on Georgia State for the first and only time during regular season play on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. in Newark.

Venturing to James Madison on Feb. 18 before traveling southeast for a Feb. 21 game at William and Mary, the Blue Hens near the end of regular season scheduling. The Hens host Northeastern on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. and trek to Towson on Feb. 28, before wrapping up regular season play when they host Hofstra on March 3 at 7 p.m.

Delaware hopes to then advance to the CAA Championships from March 11-14 at the JMU Convocation Center in Harrisonburg, Va.

Dates and times of the Blue Hens’ conference games are subject to change based on the league’s television schedule, which is not expected to be finalized until October.

University of Delaware Women’s Basketball 2009-10 Schedule

Nov. 17 at St. Francis (Pa.), 7 p.m.; Nov. 21 at Princeton, 6 p.m.; Nov. 27-28 at Colorado State Tournament, tba; Dec. 2 at Columbia, 5:30 p.m.; Dec. 5 at UMBC, 2 p.m.; Dec. 8 at Maine, 7 p.m.; Dec. 11 vs. Navy, 7 p.m.; Dec. 13 vs. La Salle, 1 p.m.; Dec. 22 vs. Buffalo, 6 p.m.; Dec. 30 vs. Massachusetts, 7 p.m.; Jan. 3 vs. *Old Dominion, 2 p.m.; Jan. 7 at *George Mason, tba; Jan. 10 at *Northeastern, 2 p.m.; Jan. 14 vs. *UNC Wilmington, 7 p.m.; Jan. 17 vs. *Drexel, 2 p.m.; Jan. 21 at *VCU, tba; Jan. 24 at *Hofstra, tba; Jan. 28 vs. *Towson, 7 p.m.; Jan. 31 at *Drexel, tba; Feb. 4 vs. *William & Mary, 7 p.m.; Feb. 7 vs. *George Mason, 2 p.m.; Feb. 11 at *Old Dominion, tba; Feb. 14 vs. *Georgia State, 2 p.m.; Feb. 18 at *James Madison, tba; Feb. 21 at *William & Mary, tba; Feb. 25 vs. *Northeastern, 7 p.m.; Feb. 28 at *Towson, tba; March 3 vs. *Hofstra, 7 p.m.; CAA Championships at JMU, tba.