Former Blue Hen Star Elena Delle Donne Named Member of USA Basketball Women’s National Team Pool

It was announced Thursday that former Blue Hens All-American Elena Delle Donne was named as one of the 29 athletes to the 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool. From that pool the 2018 USA World Cup Team is expected to be selected from there.The 2017-20 USA National Team pool was chosen by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee.

The first time Delle Donne was a member of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team she brought home a Olympic gold medal from the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This marked the first time that University of Delaware had a student athlete bring home a Olympic gold medal.

In her college career, Delle Donne averaged 34.9 minutes per game, .481 field goal percentage, .409 three point percentage, .910 free throw percentage, 8.9 rebounds and 26.7 points per game. Delle Donne scored 3,039 career points in her Blue Hens career which she became the ninth player in women’s NCAA history to score over 3000 career points. The Delaware native was also the second fastest to reach 1000 points (38 games).

The former Blue Hen took Delaware to two NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Tournament appearances including a trip to the sweet sixteen in 2013.

Delle Donne earned many honors at University of Delaware including CAA Rookie of the year and CAA Player of the year and earned All-American Honors three times during her four year career at Delaware.

After college, Delle Donne was drafted in the first round (2nd pick overall) by the Chicago Sky in the 2013 WNBA Draft.

In her rookie season, Delle Donne helped led the Sky to their first playoff appearance in franchise history.  Also, Delle Donne led the Sky to the WNBA Finals in that season but they lost to the Phoenix Mercury.

Delle Donne currently plays for the Washington Mystics and helped led them to their first ever semi-finals playoff run in franchise history.

In her WNBA career, Delle Donne averages 31.3 minutes per game, .461 field goal percentage,  .382 three point percentage,  6.6 rebounds a game and 20.4 points per game.

The current Washington Mystic has earned many honors in her WNBA career including WNBA MVP (2015), 2× All-WNBA First Team  (2015 & 2016), All-WNBA Second Team (2013), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2013), 4× WNBA All-Star (2013–2015, 2017), WNBA scoring champion (2015) and WNBA Peak Performer (2015).

With being chosen a member of the  2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool, the team will host Delle Donne and other  available members of the USA pool to participate in a minicamp Feb. 9-11, 2018, at the University of South Carolina.

The camp will be under direction of of Dawn Staley, 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and South Carolina head coach.

The 2017-20 USA Basketball Women’s National Team will be narrowed to 12 players for the 2018 USA World Cup and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams. If they qualify for the Tokyo Olympic games the team will be made of the  2017-20 USA National Team.

The USA team will train at Carolina Coliseum at 10 am through  Feb. 9-11.  The final roster of minicamp participants will be announced at a later date.