University of Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne Collects Third Weekly CAA Women’s Basketball Honor of the Season
December 7, 2011
Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
RICHMOND, Va. -- University of Delaware junior Elena Delle Donne earned Colonial Athletic Association Weekly Player of the Week accolades for the third time this season after helping the No. 22 Blue Hen women’s basketball squad to a 2-0 week that saw the Hens pick up an 81-70 road win at previously unbeaten Princeton on Thursday and a home victory in the CAA-opener over William & Mary on Sunday.
Delle Donne, the CAA Preseason Player of the Year and an Associated Press Preseason All-American who leads the nation in scoring with 29.3 points per game, poured in 27.5 points per game on 61.8 percent shooting, going 21-of-34 from the floor. She also added a team-best 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 4.0 assists per game for the week.
She also became the sixth Delaware player to reach the 1,500 career point mark during the match-up against William & Mary on a second half free throw.
In Delaware’s most recent showdown against Yale on Monday, Delle Donne surpassed the 20-point mark for the 11th straight game as she netted a game-high 28 points and pulled seven rebounds in just 19 minutes of action to help lead the Blue Hens to a 77-45 victory and their best-ever start to the season in the 41-year history of the program.
“I think leadership has been the biggest aspect that I’ve brought to the team this year,” said the 6-foot-5 junior. “It’s helping our team to stay focused and stay on track. We realize that the only thing that matters is the next game and winning.”
Delle Donne, who was named to the Preseason Wade National Player of the Year Watch List, Preseason John Wooden Top 30 List, and the Naismith Early-Season National Player of the Year Watch List, earned the 11th CAA Player of the Week award of her three-year career. She shares this week’s recognition with Taleia Moto of George Mason, who earned Player of the Week honors for the second straight week. Aprill McRae of Virginia Commonwealth was named CAA Rookie of the Week.
Delle Donne and the Blue Hens (7-0) look to remain unbeaten as they travel to Atlantic Coast Conference foe Wake Forest (3-1) to take on the Demon Deacons on Sunday, Dec. 11 for a 2 p.m. showdown at Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum.
