#11
Elena Delle Donne
Junior
Forward/Guard
Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy
As A Blue Hen
Delaware's first All-American • expected to again lead the Blue Hen campaign assuming both forward and guard responsibilities • serving as team captain along with Vanessa Kabongo and Chelsea Craig • named to Preseason Wade National Player of the Year Trophy Watch List and Preseason John Wooden Top 30 List • selected CAA Preseason Player of the Year • school’s career leader with 26.1 points per game, a 91.9 free throw percentage and a 38.8 three-point field goal percentage • ranks fourth in Delaware history with 102 three-pointers made and 118 blocks, seventh with 361 free throws made, and ninth with 1,331 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Summer 2011: Member of Team USA World University Games squad • first Delaware player to be named to the team and the first CAA player since 1993 • helped lead United States to a perfect 6-0 record and the gold medal during the international tournament that was held in Shenzhen, China • first player from the CAA to earn World University Games Gold as a member of Team USA • led USA with 15.7 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game, and was tied for second with five blocks • had the second best three-point percentage at 44.0 percent (11 of 25) • hit 45.1 percent of her field goals, going 37 of 82 from the field • averaged 22.7 minutes per game • recorded double-doubles against Slovakia (10p, 10r), Australia (22p, 11r), and a near triple-double against Taiwan in the gold medal game (10p, 11r, 8a) • helped Team USA to a +45.0 scoring margin, averaging 97.8 points per game with three 100-point efforts.
2010-11 Season: Named honorable mention Associated Press All-America • named first team All-CAA and first team CAA All-Academic • Capital One/CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic second team selection • UD Alumni Association Team MVP • named second team All-East • earned Delaware Sportswriters & Broadcasters Association John J. Brady Athlete of the Year award • four-time CAA Player of the Week winner who also earned ECAC Player of the Week honors on Feb. 14 • served as team co-captain • appeared in 22 games while starting 21 for the Blue Hens (missed 11 games while being treated for Lyme Disease symptoms) • led Delaware with 25.3 points and ranked second with 7.8 rebounds • became the fastest player in CAA and Delaware history, and the second fewest games in NCAA history, to reach 1,000 career points in 38 games, doing so against Northeastern (2/3) • converted 94.4 percent of her free throw attempts (167 of 177), setting a UD single season record • ranked second in a school single season with 25.3 points per game, third with 557 points and 167 free throws made, and fourth with 58 blocked shots • reached the 30-point mark eight times, including a season-high 41 at Yale (11/20), going 15 of 25 from the floor • eclipsed the 20-point plateau in all but four games on the year • posted seven double-doubles during the season • scored 36 points in the season-opening win over UMBC (11/12), and added 34 points and 12 rebounds the following contest against Villanova (11/16) • added a double-double with 26 points and 12 boards during a victory over St. Francis-Pa. (11/23) dropped in 28 points on 9 of 18 shooting at Hofstra (1/30) in her first game back from illness, and reached the 20-point mark in each of the next three contests • snared a career-high 18 rebounds against Drexel (2/6) • recorded three consecutive double-doubles against Drexel (18p, 18r), Towson (21p, 11r), and William & Mary (33p, 10r) • reached several records at William & Mary with 17 free throws made (Kaplan Arena, t-2nd CAA, t-1st Delaware) and 19 free throws attempted (t-1st Delaware, t-1st Kaplan Arena, t-6th CAA) • broke her own consecutive free throws made record by hitting 52 straight from Feb. 20 until Mar. 13 • scored 31 points during a victory over VCU (2/24) • posted a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds during a CAA Tournament quarterfinal victory over Old Dominion (3/11), and added 29 points and 10 boards the following day during a win over UNC Wilmington in the semifinals • selected to the CAA All-Tournament Team after averaging 25.0 points during the four games • contributed 31 points during the WNIT game at Toledo (3/16) • led the Blue Hens in scoring during 13 of the final 14 games of the season • selected to Preseason Wooden, Naismith and Wade National Player of the Year watch lists • Preseason Associated Press All-American and Basketball Times Preseason Second Team All-American • selected CAA Preseason Co-Player of the Year.
2009-10 Season: Played a record-breaking All-American freshman season for the Blue Hens • became the first UD player to be named an All-American • selected to the Associated Press Third Team and a WBCA State Farm Honorable Mention • one of 20 finalists for the Wooden National Player of the Year Award • named ECAC Rookie of the year and selected to the ECAC First Team • became just the second player in Colonial Athletic Association history to receive CAA Player and Rookie of the Year accolades • additionally was named to the CAA First, All-Rookie, All-Defensive, and All-Tournament Teams • awarded the UD Alumni Association Team Most Valuable Player Award and the Blue Hen Basketball Club Outstanding Achievement Award at annual banquet • was honored on multiple occasions as CAA Player and Rookie of the Week • selected as the Army ROTC Best of the Blue Hens Athlete of the Week four times • played one of two games at the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational and was named to the All-Tournament Team • saw action in 29 games while starting 28 • sat four games due to injury • scored 774 points to set a new single-season record while averaging 26.7 points per game, the third most in the nation • pulled down 254 rebounds good for an average of 8.8 per game • ranked second in the conference with 60 blocks • led the Blue Hens with 38 steals and dished out 56 assists, the second most on the team • went 194-for-216 from the charity stripe to lead the CAA and rank sixth in the nation with an 89.8 percent conversion rate • set a new UD record having drained 66 three-pointers throughout the season • made major headlines with a 54 point performance in Delaware's overtime loss at James Madison (2/18) • went 18-for-28 from the field and 7-for-8 from behind the arc to set new Delaware records • tallied seven 30-plus point games as a freshman, a Delaware career record • recorded eight consecutive 20-plus point performances while scoring in double figures each of her 29 games • drained 16-of-17 free throws against Hofstra (3/3) • set a new UD consecutive free throw record with 39 • kicked off the stretch at George Mason (1/7) before missing her first in six games at Hofstra (1/24) • shot a perfect game from the free throw line on 12 occasions • pulled down a season-high 16 boards at Northeastern (1/10) to help notch one of 12 double-doubles tallied throughout the year • served out five assists on three occasions • made a team season-high six steals against Old Dominion (1/3) and added five against Hofstra • that same game she swatted away a season-high seven blocked shots • also posted six blocks against Georgia State (2/14) and Drexel (1/17) • played a Delaware record 50 minutes of action in the Hens' double overtime loss to the Dragons • added 45 minutes in one of the Hens' three overtime games with Drexel (1/31) • featured on the cover of the July issue of Delaware Today magazine after being named the Best Athlete in the Best of Delaware 2010 poll.
2008-09 Season: Did not compete for the Blue Hen basketball team • selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team in volleyball • earned three CAA Rookie of the Week awards • led Delaware with 117 blocks and ranked second on the team with a .223 hitting percentage • volleyball team went 19-16, won its second consecutive CAA Championship, and made its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Bonnie Kenny.
High School
Ranked as the nation’s top senior • DIAA all-time leading scorer with 2,818 career points • was named co-Delaware State Player of the Year following junior season and was tabbed the Player of the Year as a senior • led Ursuline Academy to four Delaware state championships (2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008) • 2007-08 National Player of the Year by the Naismith and McDonald’s foundations • Parade First Team All-American • 2005, 2006 and 2008 Gatorade Delaware State Player of the Year • 2008 USA Today Player of the Year • 2006 Slam Magazine First Team All-America selection • 2006 Sports Illustrated Second Team All-America pick • USA Today Third Team All-America • 2004, 2005, 2006 All-Delaware First Team • 2005 and 2006 EA Sports All-America • 2005 Street & Smith All-America Third Team • 2004 Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention • set national high school record by making 80 consecutive free throws in 2005-06 • scored 50 points in the 2006 state championship game • ranked as No. 1 senior by HoopGurlz.com • led Ursuline to 2007 state volleyball championship • member of National Honor Society.
Personal
Elena Delle Donne ("della-don") • daughter of Ernest and Joan Delle Donne • has an older sister, Elizabeth, and an older brother, Gene • brother played college football for Duke and Middle Tennessee State • honors student as an early childhood education major at Delaware with a focus in special education...Capitol One/CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee.
| Year | GP/GS | FG-FGA | Pct. | 3-PT-FGA | Pct. | FT-FTA | Pct. | Ast. | Stl. |
| 2009-10 | 29/28 | 257-539 | .477 | 66-160 | .413 | 194-216 | .898 | 56 | 38 |
| 2010-11 | 22/21 | 177-422 | .419 | 36-103 | .350 | 167-177 | .944 | 40 | 21 |
| Totals | 51/49 | 434-961 | .452 | 102-263 | .388 | 361-393 | .919 | 96 | 59 |
| Year | BLK | REB | RPG | PTS | PPG | Min. | Avg. |
| 2009-10 | 60 | 254 | 8.8 | 774 | 26.7 | 1087 | 37.5 |
| 2010-11 | 58 | 172 | 7.8 | 557 | 25.3 | 783 | 35.6 |
| Totals | 118 | 426 | 8.4 | 1331 | 26.1 | 1,870 | 36.7 |
Back To Women's Basketball Home Women's Basketball Story Archives
