Delle Donne Honored as Delaware Athlete of the Year by Delaware Sportswriters & Broadcasters Association
February 20, 2013
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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NEWARK, Del. -- For the third time in five years, University of Delaware women’s basketball All-American Elena Delle Donne (at right) has received the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcaster’s Association (DSBA) John J. Brady Award as the Delaware Athlete of the Year for 2012.
Delle Donne, already the all-time leading scorer in University of Delaware and Colonial Athletic Association history, was one of four award-winners at the DSBA Awards Luncheon held Monday, Feb. 18 at the Sheraton Wilmington South Hotel.
Delle Donne was not present to receive the award as she was travelling with the UD women’s basketball team in Virginia. Sue Manelski-Kampert, who coached Delle Donne in high school at nearby Ursuline Academy and is a former UD assistant coach, presented the award and accepted on her behalf.
The undefeated Middletown High School football team, which won the 2012 state title for head coach Mark Del Percio, was named the Team of the Year; P.J. Kismodel, who led the Cape Henlopen High School girls’ lacrosse team to the 2012 state title, was named the Tubby Raymond Coach of the Year; and longtime DSBA member and New Castle Weekly sportswriter Harold Hoagland received the Herm Reitzes Award for outstanding service to the community. Hoagland, who passed away in December, was represented by his wife, Helen, who accepted the award.
Delle Donne, who currently ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring at 25.0 points per game in leading the Blue Hens to a No. 18 national ranking, also earned the award in 2008 and 2010. She becomes just the third person to win the award three times, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy White and former Philadelphia Phillies pitching great Chris Short.
She is the 13th athlete with University of Delaware ties to earn the award, joining Casey Howard (field hockey) in 2009, Tyresa Smith (women’s basketball) in 2007, Eddie Conti (football) and Kevin Mench (baseball) in 1998, Daryl Brown (football) in 1994, Bill Vergantino (football) in 1992, Steve Taylor (baseball) in 1977, Dick Kelley (football) in 1969, Herb Slattery (football) in 1966, Mike Brown (football) in 1963, Al Neiger (baseball) in 1959, and Bob Trivits (football) in 1954.
Delle Donne was a consensus All-American as a junior in 2011-12 as she led the nation in scoring (28.1 points per game) and led the Blue Hens to their finest season in school history.
She was named the CAA Player of the Year and earned almost every All-American citation in leading Delaware to a record of 31-2, the CAA regular season and tournament championship, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament where the Hens won their first ever post-season game in the opening round.
An outstanding student, Delle Donne was also named the Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American of the Year for women’s basketball in 2012 and later received the prestigious Honda Inspiration Award.
This past January, Delle Donne was also honored by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association as the organization's Outstanding Amateur Athlete.
Delaware, which currently owns a record of 23-3 overall and 14-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association, returns to action this Sunday, Feb. 24, when the Blue Hens host CAA rival James Madison at 4:30 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center.
The game is already sold out but will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet and the The Comcast Network.
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