NEWARK, Del. - Winter nights had once been a time of joy for Elena Delle Donne, the former basketball sensation out of Wilmington's Ursuline Academy.

The roar and heat of sellout crowds were common as she played well beyond her years, hitting basket after basket en route to winning state titles.

None of that was in her life a year ago, however, when winter returned.

The 6-foot-5 Delle Donne had given up the sport of her acclaim and enrolled at the University of Delaware near her home to play volleyball.

Tonight, the versatile Delle Donne will emerge for the delay of her long-anticipated college debut when the Blue Hens open their season at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa.

"People should be patient," cautioned Delaware coach Tina Martin "because she's still a freshman - actually two freshmen - because we have her playing both the post [on defense] and guard positions."

If everything works out, the Blue Hens are expected to return to their 20-plus win seasons of the past after what has been a two-year struggle.

In a 12-month period beginning in early June 2008, Delle Donne drew more notoriety for her actions off the court than when she was setting high school scoring records in Delaware.

The controversy peaked at the end of August a year ago with Delle Donne's stunning announcement that she was returning her scholarship from eventual NCAA champion Connecticut. In June, she bolted after one day on campus at the start of summer session.

Two months later, Delle Donne told reporters she was burned out from the years of attention. She said she couldn't give the Huskies what it took to be a champion.

Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma has wished her well.

Indeed, the two might still work together down the road if Delle Donne lands a spot on the 2012 Olympic squad, which Auriemma will coach.

"I didn't know how I was going to feel watching women's basketball last season," Delle Donne said. "But when I was doing nothing, I began to think about coming back."

And so began a slow, measured journey back, during which she discovered it could be possible to rekindle the flame of her first love. The first step was to go inside a gym and embrace the basketball.

She said she was surprised to find out that she had not lost her touch, overall skills, and court awareness.

And so began the passion.

In June, she explained that her exit from UConn was the result of homesickness, which she misidentified. Much of her feelings stem from her close attachment to older sister Lizzie, who has cerebral palsy and is deaf and blind.

Last week, she spoke of the night before her scheduled departure for Storrs, Conn.

"It was my last night to sleep in my own bed, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm not going to be back here,' " Delle Donne said.

"That's when I really started to freak out in my head. But I didn't want to show anyone that. I didn't want my parents to get upset.

"Then I got up to UConn and I said to myself, 'This isn't happening.' "

And so she returned home in the middle of the night.

Now she is ready for her second chance in the sport. Delle Donne is eager for tonight's opening tip, when she will be in uniform for the first time since March 2008.

Delle Donne was on fire at a recent closed-door scrimmage at St. Joseph's, where she smoked the Hawks for 50 points, according to those allowed to attend under NCAA preseason rules.

"I can't wait for that first game, for a regular crowd to be there and just to be out there with my teammates wearing a regular jersey," she said.

Contact staff writer Mel Greenberg at 215-854-5725 or mgreenberg@phillynews.com. Read his blog at go.philly.com/womhoops.