Fencor 1989s

UConn coach latest interested in frosh phenom DelleDonne By DOUG LESMERISES The News Journal 09/16/2004 Geno Auriemma, winner of the last three national championships in women's college basketball as coach of the Connecticut Huskies, sat inside the faculty lounge at Ursuline Academy, the door closed. Elena DelleDonne, arguably the most talented freshman girls basketball player in the country, walked past the door with her classmates on the way back from an 11 a.m. Mass. "I felt like I should get his autograph, but then I realized he was there for me," DelleDonne said. Auriemma and DelleDonne couldn't even talk to each other. Auriemma can't talk about DelleDonne publicly. Anything more than a hello would have been a violation of NCAA rules. All DelleDonne could do Wednesday was peer through the glass window in the lounge's door. "She was definitely peeking in like he was a celebrity," Ursuline basketball coach Sheila DiNardo said. "That's neat that she thinks of him as a celebrity, while he's sitting there probably thinking that she's the celebrity. And she has no idea of that." As the biggest names in women's college basketball make a beeline for Wilmington, DelleDonne is getting that idea. This week began a new portion of DelleDonne's recruiting process, one that will be a mostly silent dance until her junior year, when more aggressive recruiting may begin. But schools hoping to land the 6-foot-3 guard must make their presence known. Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw, who won the national title in 2001 before UConn's three-year run, will be at the school Friday. Vanderbilt University sent an assistant coach to Ursuline on Monday. Penn State will send a representative next Thursday and Tennessee has arranged a visit. "It's probably not really the way to do it," McGraw said. "You're just trying to send a silent message, I guess. I don't know if it has a positive effect or not. But when one coach does it, a lot of coaches do it." After pulling into the parking lot in a white Escalade, Auriemma and assistant coach Jamelle Elliott entered Ursuline about 11:45 a.m. and didn't leave until after 2 p.m. DiNardo, athletic director Sue Heiss and assistant AD Peg Desendorf hosted the visit. They consult with the DelleDonne family whenever a school calls to express interest, and at this point, any school is welcome to stop by. But with the DelleDonnes off-limits, the school is the only welcoming party. "I knew this was coming, but I didn't know it would happen this fast," said DiNardo, who will be coaching her first season at Ursuline. Ursuline representatives posed for photos with Auriemma and smiled while recounting his visit. Heiss said he ended his visit by telling stories to seniors in the hallway. "He was very social," Heiss said. "He was talking about some games UConn had that were close, then he was talking about Bruce Springsteen and talking about his place in Avalon." DelleDonne just couldn't be anywhere near Auriemma to join in the fun. It's an odd setup - DelleDonne draws him there, the other kids get to hang out with him - but it's one that is intended to keep the players from getting swamped. "I kind of wish I was able to talk to them in person," DelleDonne said. "I guess it's good for the players to not get too caught up in college, because I do have four years of high school, so I can't get too far ahead of myself." Although players in the past have given verbal commitments to a college as early as their freshman year in high school, DelleDonne said she is still open to anyone. Her father, Ernie, said he plans to take his daughter to games at UConn or Tennessee or Duke or Notre Dame or Villanova this year to expose her to more college basketball. So if no decision is looming, was Auriemma's trip worth it? Absolutely. "It definitely leaves an impression on me," DelleDonne said. "For them to take the time to come to Ursuline just to see me, and they can't talk to me, it does say how interested they are." Will any of the visits this week be the deciding factor in DelleDonne's eventual college decision? No. But the coaches will keep coming anyway. Contact Doug Lesmerises at dlesmerises@delawareonline.com