Photo Courtesy of UD Media Services

SAN FRANCISCO -- University of Delaware women’s basketball redshirt freshman Elena Delle Donne was recently selected to the Full Court Press Preseason Mid-Major Top 25 for the 2009-10 season.

The Web site, www.fullcourt.com, honored the top 25 players who play for NCAA Division I schools outside the six major conferences: Atlantic Coast, Southeastern, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 10.

Honored on the 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.

Delle Donne is joined in the Top 25 by fellow Colonial Athletic Association members, Gabriela Marginean of Drexel University on the second team and Dawn Evans of James Madison University also on the fourth team. Marginean and Evans were voted to the CAA Preseason first team, while Delle Donne was named to the second team.

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

The Top 25 first team: Alyssa Clark (Middle Tennessee State), Amber Harris (Xavier), Jene Morris (San Diego State), Ta’Shia Phillips (Xavier), Courtney Vandersloot (Gonzaga). Second Team: Erica Beverly (Hartford), Arnika Brown (Western Kentucky), Jareica Hughes (Texas El Paso), Gabriela Marginean (Drexel), Helena Sverrisdottir (Texas Christian University). Third Team: Heather Bowman (Gonzaga), Emma Cannon (Central Florida), Rachele Fitz (Marist), Paris Johnson (San Diego State), Lauren Prochaska (Bowling Green). Fourth team: Amy Beggin (New Mexico), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Shanavia Dowdell (Louisiana Tech), Dawn Evans (James Madison), Kalee Whipple (Utah). Fifth Team: Claire Faucher (Portland State), Casey Garrison (Missouri State), Shanara Hollinquest (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Megan Neuvirth (Creighton), Erica Prosser (Lehigh).

Source: www.fullcourt.com