Boston College Athletics
Women's Basketball Mourns No. 15 Clare Droesch
May 11, 2018 | Women's Basketball
Eagles guard passed away after a six-year battle with cancer.
The Boston College women's basketball family lost one of its most cherished and dynamic players in program history this week. Former Eagles guard Clare Droesch '05 passed away at age 36 on Friday, May 11 at her home surrounded by family after a six-year battle with breast cancer.
Droesch arrived at The Heights from her beloved hometown of Rockaway Park, New York. She played for the esteemed Christ the King High School in New York.
The brash city kid arrived on campus and made an immediate impact, not only on the court but off. There are stories of Clare's passionate outbursts to motivate teammates during tournament runs to keep them confident and playing hard. She wanted to win, and her teammates respected her passion.
"Clare was one of the most passionate players I have ever coached. She had a deep love for the game of basketball, her team and Boston College,'' said her former head coach at Boston College Cathy Inglese. "Clare filled many roles for our team, the most important being the "clutch player" when the game was on the line. She wanted the ball in her hands for the final shot, which was usually the winning shot. Her confidence and leadership spread to others on the team. Her impact on the team was unmeasurable."
Droesch is one of two members of the BC program to appear in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
At 5-foot-10, Droesch was a tough matchup for a guard or small forward because of her strength and overall skills. She was also a member of the 2004 Big East Championship team, when the Eagles won four consecutive games, including a three-point semifinal win over host UConn and the final game vs. Rutgers on the way to the title.
A member of the prestigious 1,000-point, 500-rebound club, Droesch is 12th in scoring with 1,136 points, fourth in three-pointers made with 158 and sixth in assists with 314. She played in 126 games and averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.
She was a Big East All-Rookie team selection and earned all-conference honors in her senior season.
Droesch was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2015 she was honored as an ACC Legend.
During an interview in 2015 Droesch talked about her final game at Boston College.
"The most emotional part of that game was that I think I helped get everybody excited to play that night," she said recently. "I just knew we were going to win that game. All of the emotions that you go through as a player over your four years came out that night. That was the last time I played on that [Conte Forum] court,'' said Droesch in the final game as the Eagles pulled off a thrilling 51-48 victory over then-No. 1 ranked UConn.
A New Yorker at heart, Droesch bled the Maroon and Gold. She once said when she first walked on campus she knew Boston College was the school for her.
Droesch, 36, never left the sport she loved. She was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Christ the King, where she continued to mentor players by sharing her enthusiasm and passion for the game she loved.
She leaves behind her parents Patricia and George and older brother George as well as a number nieces and nephews.
More updated information will be available when released. Follow @BC_WBB on Twitter & Instagram for any updates.
Droesch arrived at The Heights from her beloved hometown of Rockaway Park, New York. She played for the esteemed Christ the King High School in New York.
The brash city kid arrived on campus and made an immediate impact, not only on the court but off. There are stories of Clare's passionate outbursts to motivate teammates during tournament runs to keep them confident and playing hard. She wanted to win, and her teammates respected her passion.
"Clare was one of the most passionate players I have ever coached. She had a deep love for the game of basketball, her team and Boston College,'' said her former head coach at Boston College Cathy Inglese. "Clare filled many roles for our team, the most important being the "clutch player" when the game was on the line. She wanted the ball in her hands for the final shot, which was usually the winning shot. Her confidence and leadership spread to others on the team. Her impact on the team was unmeasurable."
Droesch is one of two members of the BC program to appear in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
At 5-foot-10, Droesch was a tough matchup for a guard or small forward because of her strength and overall skills. She was also a member of the 2004 Big East Championship team, when the Eagles won four consecutive games, including a three-point semifinal win over host UConn and the final game vs. Rutgers on the way to the title.
A member of the prestigious 1,000-point, 500-rebound club, Droesch is 12th in scoring with 1,136 points, fourth in three-pointers made with 158 and sixth in assists with 314. She played in 126 games and averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.
She was a Big East All-Rookie team selection and earned all-conference honors in her senior season.
Droesch was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2015 she was honored as an ACC Legend.
During an interview in 2015 Droesch talked about her final game at Boston College.
"The most emotional part of that game was that I think I helped get everybody excited to play that night," she said recently. "I just knew we were going to win that game. All of the emotions that you go through as a player over your four years came out that night. That was the last time I played on that [Conte Forum] court,'' said Droesch in the final game as the Eagles pulled off a thrilling 51-48 victory over then-No. 1 ranked UConn.
A New Yorker at heart, Droesch bled the Maroon and Gold. She once said when she first walked on campus she knew Boston College was the school for her.
Droesch, 36, never left the sport she loved. She was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Christ the King, where she continued to mentor players by sharing her enthusiasm and passion for the game she loved.
She leaves behind her parents Patricia and George and older brother George as well as a number nieces and nephews.
More updated information will be available when released. Follow @BC_WBB on Twitter & Instagram for any updates.
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