2012-13 Honda Sports Award for Basketball –Elena Delle Donne

LOS ANGELES, California (April 19, 2013) --- Elena Delle Donne from the University of Delaware, the WNBA’s first-round draft pick and second overall to the Chicago Sky, has received the Honda Sports Award for basketball and becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2013 Honda Cup. The Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards will present the Honda Cup live on ESPNU, June 24th at the USC Galen Center Founder’s Room in Los Angeles.

"I am honored to be receiving this award. I want to thank all of the people who had a part in selecting me as the recipient. It is truly humbling to be chosen as the premier player in women's college basketball this year. I feel blessed to be a part of the Collegiate Women's Sports Awards family, an organization that was established over 37 years ago. I am extremely grateful to be receiving an award that stands for excellence and sports and highlights women's accomplishments,” said Delle Donne, who received the 2012 Honda Inspiration Award.

"We are all very proud of Elena on her selection as the Honda Sports Award winner. This prestigious honor is something I know Elena will cherish for the rest of her life. The award culminates an incredible year for Elena and brings national attention to our women’s basketball program here at the University of Delaware," said Delaware head coach Tina Martin, Delle Donne ranked second in the nation with 26.0 points per game and scored 30 or more points in eight games this season. She helped lead the Blue Hens to a 32-4 overall record this season and a NCAA Sweet 16 appearance for the first time in school history. She holds Colonial Athletic Association career records for points, field goals, free throws and blocks, and her 3,039 career points placed her fifth all-time in NCAA history.

The CWSA presents the Honda Sports Award annually to top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. With this honor, Delle Donne, a senior majoring in Early Childhood Education with a focus in special education, becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the 2013 Honda Cup. She was a 2-time CAA Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and 3-time CAA Player of the Year. Delle Donne was chosen for the Honda Sports Award by a vote among the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Finalists included Skyler Diggins (Notre Dame), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), and Brittney Griner (Baylor) the 2012 Honda Cup winner.

The Collegiate Women Sports Awards has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for 37 years, recognizing superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its sponsorship in 1986, Honda has provided more than $2.7 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs at the institutions. Previous Honda Cup winners include Brittney Griner, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Lisa Fernandez, Misty May-Treanor, Maya Moore, and Candace Parker.