Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens women's basketball

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens women's basketball team is the basketball team that represents University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. The school's team currently competes in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).^[2] After the 2024–25 season, Delaware will leave the CAA to join Conference USA.^[3]

Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens women's basketball
2024–25 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens women's basketball team
University	University of Delaware
First season	1971
Head coach	Sarah Jenkins (3rd season)
Conference	Coastal Athletic Association (Conference USA in 2025–26)
Location	Newark, Delaware
Arena	Acierno Arena at the Bob Carpenter Center (capacity: 5,000)
Nickname	Blue Hens
Colors	Royal blue and gold[1]
Uniforms
Home Away
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
2013
NCAA tournament appearances
2001, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2022
Conference tournament champions
ECC: 1989, 1990, 1991 America East: 2001 CAA: 2012, 2013, 2022
Conference regular-season champions
ECC: 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991 America East: 2001 CAA: 2005, 2012, 2013, 2021

History

Delaware began play in 1971. In the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons, they went undefeated in CAA play, going 18–0 twice. They won their first ever NCAA Tournament game in 2012, beating Little Rock 73–42 before losing in the ensuing round to Kansas 70–64. They made the regional semifinals in the 2013 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament after beating West Virginia 66–53 and North Carolina 78–69 before losing to Kentucky 69–62. Elena Delle Donne played for the Blue Hens from 2009 to 2013, scoring 3,039 points, good for 9th in the all-time list.^[4] As of the end of the 2020–21 season, the Fightin' Blue Hens have an all-time record of 820–552.

Historic results

Season by season

Season	Coach	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Susana Occhi[5] () (1969–1971a)
1969-70	Susana Occhi	1-5
Susana Occhi:		1-5 (.167)
Mary Ann Hitchens () (1971b–1978)
1970-71	Mary Ann Hitchens	4-5
1971-72	Mary Ann Hitchens	8-4			3rd Place, EAIAW Regionals
1972-73	Mary Ann Hitchens	9-5			3rd Place, EAIAW Regionals
1973-74	Mary Ann Hitchens	8-7			3rd Place, Mid-Atlantic Regionals
1974-75	Mary Ann Hitchens	12-5			3rd Place, EAIAW Regionals
1975-76	Mary Ann Hitchens	12-6			3rd Place, EAIAW Regionals
1976-77	Mary Ann Hitchens	9-9			3rd Place, EAIAW Regionals
1977-78	Mary Ann Hitchens	12-6			2nd Place, EAIAW Regionals
Mary Ann Hitchens:		74-47 (.612)
Joyce Perry () (1978[6]–1982)
1978-79	Joyce Perry	6-11
1979-80	Joyce Perry	7-13
1980-81	Joyce Perry	21-7
1981-82	Joyce Perry	9-14
Joyce Perry (East Coast Conference) (1982–1991)
1982-83	Joyce Perry	12-12	4-4	1st, ECC West
1983-84	Joyce Perry	22-4	8-0	1st
1984-85	Joyce Perry	19-9	11-3	2nd
1985-86	Joyce Perry	15-15	8-6	3rd
1986-87	Joyce Perry	10-17	5-9	6th
1987-88	Joyce Perry	18-11	9-5	3rd
1988-89	Joyce Perry	23-6	13-1	1st
1989-90	Joyce Perry	21-9	10-4	1st
1990-91	Joyce Perry	18-11	10-2	1st
Delaware (East Coast):		158-94 (.627)	78-34(.696)
Joyce Perry (North Atlantic Conference) (1991–1996)
1991-92	Joyce Perry	15-14	7-7	4th
1992-93	Joyce Perry	17-11	8-6	4th
1993-94	Joyce Perry	10-17	7-7	5th
1994-95	Joyce Perry	12-15	5-10	7th
1995-96	Joyce Perry	11-16	9-9	5th
Delaware (North Atlantic):		65-73(.471)	36-39(.480)
Joyce Perry:		266-212 (.556)	114-73 (.610)
Tina Martin (America East Conference) (1996–2001)
1996-97	Tina Martin	9-19	6-12	7th
1997-98	Tina Martin	6-21	3-15	10th
1998-99	Tina Martin	16-11	10-8	5th
1999-00	Tina Martin	21-8	13-5	3rd
2000-01	Tina Martin	26-5	17-1	1st	NCAA 1st Round
Delaware (America East):		78–64 (.549)	49–41 (.544)
Tina Martin (Colonial Athletic Association) (2001–2017)
2001-02	Tina Martin	23-7	15-3	2nd	WNIT 1st Round
2002-03	Tina Martin	22-9	15-3	T-1st	WNIT 1st Round
2003-04	Tina Martin	19-10	10-8	4th
2004-05	Tina Martin	25-6	16-2	1st	WNIT 1st Round
2005-06	Tina Martin	22-8	13-5	3rd	WNIT 1st Round
2006-07	Tina Martin	26-6	16-2	T-2nd	NCAA 1st Round
2007-08	Tina Martin	7-24	6-12	9th
2008-09	Tina Martin	15-15	7-11	9th
2009-10	Tina Martin	21-12	11-7	4th	WNIT 1st Round
2010-11	Tina Martin	20-14	10-8	T-5th	WNIT 1st Round
2011-12	Tina Martin	31-2	18-0	1st	NCAA 2nd Round
2012-13	Tina Martin	32-4	18-0	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2013-14	Tina Martin	20-11	10-6	3rd	WNIT 1st Round
2014-15	Tina Martin	15-17	8-10	7th
2015-16	Tina Martin	16-15	10-8	5th
2016-17	Tina Martin	16-14	10-8	5th
Delaware (CAA):		330–174 (.655)	193–93 (.675)
Tina Martin:		408-238 (.632)	242-134 (.644)
Natasha Adair (Colonial Athletic Association) (2017–2021)
2017-18	Natasha Adair	19-13	11-7	5th	WNIT 1st Round
2018-19	Natasha Adair	16-15	11-7	T-3rd
2019-20	Natasha Adair	12-17	8-10	6th
2020-21	Natasha Adair	24-5	16-2	1st	WNIT Semifinals
Natasha Adair:		71-50 (.587)	46-26 (.639)
Total:		820-552 (.598)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

• ^a Susan Occhi was only the coach for one season, 1969 to 1970, however all of the games were played in 1970, and she remained coach until being replaced by Mary Ann Hitchens. See also Note B.
• ^b Mary Ann Hitchens began as the coach during the 1970 to 1971 school year, however, all of the games for that school year were played in 1971. She had been the 1969-70 freshman team coach and moved up to coach varsity at the beginning of 1971, for the 1970–1971 school year. See also Note A.

NCAA tournament

The Blue Hens have appeared in the NCAA tournament five times, with their 2013 Sweet Sixteen appearance being their best showing.

Year	Seed	First round	Score	Second round	Score	Sweet Sixteen	Score
2001	#13	#4 NC State	57–76
2007	#12	#5 Michigan State	58–69
2012	#3	#14 Arkansas-Little Rock	73–42	#11 Kansas	64-70
2013	#6	#11 West Virginia	66–53	#3 North Carolina	78-69	#2 Kentucky	62-69
2022	#13	#4 Maryland	71–102

WNIT tournament

The Blue Hens have appeared in the WNIT Tournament nine times, with their 2021 semifinal appearance and Charlotte Regional Championship being their best.

Year	Rival	Score
2002	George Washington	71–78
2003	Saint Joseph's	47–65
2005	St. John's	42–56

The 2006 Women's National Invitation Tournament expanded from 32 to 40 teams, adding an additional round of games. The 2007 tournament expanded to 48 teams, eliminating first round byes, and the tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 2010.

Year	First round	Score	Second round	Score
2006	(Bye)		Pittsburgh	57–64
2010	Richmond	49–67
2011	Toledo	55–58
2014	Rutgers	61–65
2018	Georgetown	57–67

The 2021 Women's National Invitation Tournament contracted from 64 to 32 teams, eliminating one round of the tournament.

Year	First round	Score	Second round	Score	Quarterfinal	Score	Semifinal	Score
2021	Fordham	77–49	Clemson	87–74	Villanova	77–70	Rice	75–85

See also

• Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens men's basketball