In what was a rebuilding year, the University of Delaware women's basketball team continued to add to its winning tradition by compiling a record of 19-10 and reaching the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals before falling to eventual champion Old Dominion University.

The Fightin' Blue Hens, who under Head Coach Tina Martin had won 20 or more games each of the last four seasons, had just two seniors on the roster and entrusted the backcourt to a trio of outstanding freshmen.

Junior forward Tiara Malcom, a second-team All-CAA selection who averaged 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, led the Hens.

Malcom was joined in the frontcourt by junior Tiffany Young, who averaged 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and senior Tracey Howell, who averaged 5.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.

The backcourt was in the hands of junior Julie Sailer, who averaged 9.6 points until falling to an injury, and fabulous freshmen Liz Hayes, Alena Koshansky and Tyresa Smith.

Smith averaged 7.8 points per game and had 58 assists, Hayes averaged 6.6 points and had 37 assists and Koshansky averaged 4.9 points and had 31 assists.

UD started the season strong, winning the Coca-Cola Classic at Fairfield University on Nov. 30 by defeating the host team 61-51 in overtime. The tournament was part of a nine-game winning streak that lasted through December.

The Hens opened conference play in January and hit a rough spot in February, losing four in a row, but bounced back to close the regular season with a four-game winning streak entering the CAA tournament.

During the winning streak, UD defeated George Mason University 67-58 at the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center on March 4. George Mason went on to play in the conference tournament final and earned a bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

UD opened the conference tournament with a 65-59 victory over the University of North Carolina Wilmington on March 11 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center on the Old Dominion campus in Norfolk, Va. Malcom scored 19 points in the victory.

"I thought our kids played very well. I am proud of them and we held our composure," Martin said. "We've grown up a lot over the past seven games this season, and we've really matured as a team. These kids have stepped up and taken some great shots."

With that win, UD moved into the semifinals against Old Dominion, which went on to win its 13th consecutive conference title and earned a No. 8 seed in the NCAA championship tournament.

In the semifinal game, the Hens went down early and trailed by 20 points at halftime but fought back to make a game of it before falling 73-62. During the comeback, UD climbed to within six points of Old Dominion with 1:34 left to play.

Sophomore Amanda Blackstone led the Hens with 17 points while Smith had 14.

The 2003-04 season was the first time in three years that the Hens did not receive an invitation to postseason play.

In 2000-01, UD went 26-5 and won the American East Conference championship to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. They fell 76-57 to No. 19 North Carolina State University in the first round of play.

The following two seasons, the Hens went 23-7 and 22-9 and earned berths in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. In 2001-02, they lost to George Washington University 78-71, and in 2002-03 they lost to St. Joseph's University 65-47.

–Scott Selheimer