Delaware's defense took center stage most of the season as All-Atlantic 10 linebacker Brian McKenna and defensive end Mike Cecere, both juniors, paced a unit in virtually every defensive category, allowing just 29.3 points and 419.7 total yards per game. Freshman Dan Mulhern led all linebackers in the nation with seven interceptions. Offensively, sophomore halfback Butter Pressey was an All-Atlantic 10 selection after leading the team in rushing with 682 yards while sophomore Jamin Elliott replaced All-America Eddie Conti at spread end and recorded a team-high--47 receptions for 850 yards. The offensive line was led by former walk-on Jim Stull, an NFL prospect who earned All-American honors and played in the prestigious Blue-Gray All-Star Game on Christmas Day.

Delaware posted America East victories over Hofstra, Maine and New Hampshire and, in one stretch, they defeated NCAA Tournament participant Lafayette 3-2, tied Temple 2-2 and downed Lehigh 1-0, all in overtime. The Blue Hens received solid offense efforts from College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American nominee junior Todd Everett (4 goals, 3 assists), sophomore Dan Keane (3 goals, 4 assists) and senior Rob MacLeod (4 goals).

The 1999 Blue Hen harriers, hampered by injuries even before the season started, placed fourth or higher in their first four meets of the season, finishing in fourth place at the America East conference championships Nov. 31 in Manchester, Conn. Senior Mike DiGennaro, team leader, finished first among Delaware runners in all but one race. He captured the Delaware Invitational Oct. 9, placed second at the Hartford Invitational Sept. 11 and earned an impressive seventh place finish at the America East Championships.

The Blue Hens advanced to the America East Tournament semifinals for the fourth straight year, before falling to No. 1 seed Boston University 2-1 in a hard-fought contest in Boston. Sophomore Juli Byrd earned first team All-America East and All-Mid Atlantic Region honors after scoring nine goals. Senior Rachel Barger led the team in points with five goals and nine assists to earn first team All-Region honors and a spot on the U.S. National team as an alternate. Junior Megan Fortunato, with five assists, also earned All-America East notice for her play.

Head coach Viera's 27th and final season at the helm of the Blue Hens saw the UD spikers advance all the way to the America East semifinals before falling to a powerful Hofstra team. The semifinal appearance continued a remarkable streak of Blue Hen teams qualifying for post-season play under Viera. Leading the Blue Hens in 1999 was senior Joanna Dusza, a three-time All-America East performer who finished as one of Delaware's all-time leaders in kills and digs. Junior Jennifer Wanner earned first team All-America East honors after averaging 3.4 kills per game to go with a team-high .243 hitting percentage. Junior Margaret Lapinski had a breakthrough year by averaging 2.4 kills and 3.3 digs per game while Sadie Bjornstad closed out her career as one of Delaware's all-time great setters, averaging 10.4 assists per game.

The Blue Hen women's soccer team used a late-season surge to advance to the league semifinals before falling to NCAA semifinalist Hartford. Head coach Grzenda's squad posted a record of 5-3-1 over the last four weeks of the season. The Hens boasted five all-conference performers led by junior Mandy Merritt, who earned first team honors and led the team in scoring with six goals and six assists. Senior midfielder Cate Harrison and junior defender Stephanie Schmucker, a transfer from Villanova, also earned first team all-league honors. Goalkeeper Rachel Bersin was one of the league's top rookies, posting a .682 save percentage.

Like the Delaware men, the Blue Hen women also highlighted their season with a fourth place finish at the America East Championships. Senior CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee Caron Marra led the team in all but one race. She was second at both the Hartford Invitational and Delaware Invitational and made a 12th place finish at the America East race. Other bright spots for the young Hens were sophomore Aimee Alexander, who placed 14th at the America East championships and was the team's top finisher at the season-ending NCAA District II meet, and sophomore Jenn Krisch, who placed 21st at the America East meet and had two other Top 10 finishes.

Senior forward Mike Pegues, who set a slew of school record during the season and became the Hens' all-time leading scorer with 2,030 points, was named All-East for the second time and first team All-America East for the third straight year, averaging 20.8 points per game. John Gordon, who missed the first 11 games of the season with a foot injury, still averaged 10.3 ppg and fellow senior Kestutis Marciulionis scored at a 14.3 ppg clip to each earn third team honors. Marciulionis became Delaware's all-time three-point field goal leader with 211.

The youthful and exciting Blue Hen women's basketball team continued to move up the America East ladder in 2000. The Hens posted their best record since 1989-90, winning the most league games in school history. The team advanced to the tournament semifinals before falling to Maine. Along the way, the Hens defeated three NCAA tournament teams (Maine, Vermont, St. Francis, Pa.). Delaware's dynamic duo Cindy Johnson and Danielle Leyfert both surpassed the 1,000-point mark for their careers this season. The jet-quick Johnson earned first team All-America East honors after averaging a team-high 17.3 points per game to go with 5.5 rebounds per game and 72 assists. Do-everything Leyfert was a second team performer for the second straight year after recording 14.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg. Also making a name for herself was Blue Hen sophomore Christina Rible who ranked second in America East in rebounding with 9.2 per game and also averaged 11.9 points per game to earn third team All-America East honors.

Delaware's men's swimming and diving dynasty continued in 2000 under America East Coach of the Year John Hayman whose squad won an unprecedented fourth straight league title. Senior Tom Maday capped a stellar career by taking three events at the America East meet, winning the 100 and 200 breaststroke events and capturing the 200 individual medley. His career total is eight individual gold medals, tying Lee Martin's school record. Maday also earned All-East honors in the 100 breaststroke for the third time in his career. Senior Brian McGillen, a two-time CoSIDA District II Academic All-American, was a runner-up in the 200 freestyle relay along with teammates John Fernandes, Ian Miller and Maday.

The Blue Hen women posted a solid performance at the America East championships hosted by Delaware at Rawstrom Pool, earning their second straight fourth place finish. Sophomore Jennifer Haus was the Hens' top all-around performer, placing second in the America East 200 freestyle and teaming with Emily Mitchell, Jenna Blongiewicz and Kathryn Fryer to earn All-East honors with an eighth place finish at the ECAC 800 freestyle relay. Blongiewicz also set a school record in the 200 backstroke during the season while CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee Amanda Stouffer, Lisa Dillinger and Sara Dyson were among those capping outstanding careers for the Blue Hens. Dillinger earned All-East honors in the 200 backstroke by placing eighth at the ECAC championships.

Once again led by a talented group of distance runners and weight throwers, the Blue Hen men's indoor track and field team placed third at the America East Championships in Boston. Delaware senior Mike DiGennaro remains one of UD's all-time great distance runners, winning the 5,000 meters and placing second in the 3,000 meters at the America East meet before earning All-East honors with a seventh place finish in the 3,000 meters at the IC4A regional meet. Placing second for the Hens at the America East meet were freshman Asher Ailey (400 meters), senior Tom Marando (shot put), and the 4 x 800 meter relay team of junior Joe Quigley, freshman Pat Boettcher, seniors Mark Coyle and Troy Bockius.

UD's women's indoor track and field team produced several outstanding individual performances in the field events at the America East championships in Boston. Senior Caltha Seymour, who returned to action after a year hiatus, saved her best for last by winning the weight throw at the America East championships as the Hens' lone gold medalist. Junior Annemarie Quinn, a first year transfer from Ball State, was virtually unbeatable all year in the high jump and placed second at the America East meet before earning All-East honors with a seventh place finish at the ECAC championships. Carol Oliveri continued to break records in the pole vault, setting a new standard three times during the season and placing second at the America East meet. Others UD standouts were sophomore Aimee Alexander and senior Caron Marra in the distance events. Alexander placed second in the 3,000 meters at the America East meet.