A History of Boston College Women's Basketball
Boston College Eagles Women's Basketball represents Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, as an NCAA Division I program. Since 2005, the team has been a competitor in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), following its time in the Big East. Throughout their history, the Eagles have made seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament, with their most recent appearance in 2006.
Early Years and Big East Era
The Boston College women's basketball team played its inaugural game on January 9, 1973, suffering a 42-35 defeat to Eastern Nazarene. However, they quickly rebounded, securing their first program victory against Jackson with a score of 52-30. The Eagles concluded their first season with a 4-6 record, including wins over Mount Ida, Stonehill College, and Radcliffe.
In 1982, the women's team became a part of the Big East, achieving a then-BC record of 17 wins, although their conference record stood at 3-7. During the Big East tournament, Boston College defeated UConn 69-57 but was subsequently eliminated after a 56-38 loss to Providence.
The Cathy Inglese Era: A Turnaround
Cathy Inglese's appointment as head coach in 1993 marked a turning point for the basketball team. After a period of rebuilding, she transformed the team into a consistent contender for the NCAA tournament.
First NCAA Tournament Appearance
The 1998-99 season was a landmark year for the Eagles, as Inglese led them to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The team achieved an impressive 22-8 overall record and a 12-6 record in the Big East.
Read also: Gridiron Showdown: Missouri vs. Boston College
Continued Success and NCAA Tournament Runs
The following season proved even more successful for the Eagles, as they amassed 26 total wins. However, their NCAA tournament journey was cut short in the second round when Virginia narrowly defeated them 74-70. The 2000-01 season was marred by injuries, resulting in a 14-15 record and exclusion from The Dance.
Sweet Sixteen Appearances
Coach Inglese guided Boston College to consecutive appearances in the Sweet Sixteen in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
2002-03 Season Highlights
BC concluded the 2003 season ranked No. 25 and entered the NCAA tournament with a 20-9 record. As a No. 5 seed, they narrowly defeated Old Dominion 73-72 in the first round. In a thrilling second-round match, Amber Jacobs's jumper, which bounced around the rim before falling in with 2.5 seconds remaining, secured an 86-85 overtime victory over Vanderbilt. However, Boston College's journey ended with a loss to No. 1 UConn, led by Diana Taurasi.
2003-04: Big East Champions
In 2004, the women's team achieved postseason redemption by upsetting the University of Connecticut in the Big East Tournament semi-finals with a score of 73-70. Boston College, after victories over Syracuse and Miami, secured its March 8 win over the Huskies and went on to defeat Rutgers in the finals, claiming the Big East Tournament title. This victory made them the first Big East team to win four games en route to the tournament crown.
As a result of their tournament title, BC finished the year ranked No. 18 and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed. The Eagles defeated Eastern Michigan 58-56 in the first round and had a more comfortable victory in the second round, routing Ohio State 63-48 to advance to their second consecutive Sweet Sixteen.
Read also: ACC Showdown: Virginia Tech Battles Boston College
Transition to the ACC
In their final year in the Big East, the Boston College women's team concluded the season with a 20-10 record and another NCAA tournament appearance. During the regular season, BC achieved a respectable 10-6 record in conference play but was eliminated in their sole game in the league tournament, losing 41-37 to Villanova.
ACC Era: New Challenges and Successes
Boston College began the 2005-06 season as a participant in the Preseason NIT. Following a 51-44 win over Drexel and a 62-51 victory over Richmond, BC faced former Big East rival UConn in the semifinal round, where they were defeated 60-46. The women bounced back with a 41-point win over Vermont, topping the Catamounts 79-38.
Early ACC Struggles and Breakthrough Wins
Boston College entered league play with a 12-2 record and a No. 19 national ranking, bolstered by a significant win against then-top-10 ranked Stanford University. However, BC's inaugural ACC game resulted in an overtime loss to Maryland, 67-64. After a difficult 0-4 start to ACC play, the Eagles rebounded with seven consecutive wins, including six consecutive conference victories. BC secured its first-ever ACC win as a league member on January 26, defeating Virginia 57-43.
Facing Top-Ranked Opponents
The winning streak ended when BC faced two consecutive games against top-5 opponents. On February 16, No. 4 Maryland defeated the Eagles 86-59. The BC women then lost to the No. 2 team in the country when North Carolina defeated Boston College 69-62.
2006 NCAA Tournament Run
The regular season concluded on a negative note for Boston College, as NC State and Florida State handed BC two more losses on February 24 and February 26, respectively, resulting in four straight losses for the Eagles. As of March 7, the Boston College women's team stood at 19-11 overall (6-8 ACC) and were ranked No. 25 in the coaches' poll. BC senior forward Brooke Queenan was named to the All-ACC Second Team.
Read also: History of the BU Bridge
As the No. 8 seed, Boston College lost its first-round game in its first-ever ACC tournament, falling to Virginia 57-54 on March 2. Despite this, BC earned an at-large bid in the NCAA field. The Eagles, as a No. 8 seed, defeated Notre Dame 78-61 following a 17-day break between games. Advancing to the field of 32, BC faced No. 1 seeded Ohio State, a team riding a twenty-game winning streak. The underdog Eagles triumphed over the Buckeyes 79-69, largely due to the performance of BC guard Kindyll Dorsey, who scored a school NCAA tournament record of six 3-pointers and 24 points overall. BC then lost to the No.
WNBA Draft Picks
Following the season, forward Brooke Queenan was drafted by the New York Liberty of the WNBA in the second round, becoming the third WNBA draft pick in BC history, following Amber Jacobs and Cal Bouchard.
Recent Seasons and Standout Players
The Boston College Lady Eagles experienced a slow start to a recent season, with losses to teams such as Harvard and Vermont. However, they rebounded with eight wins against top 50 ranked schools, including victories against #8 Duke, #6 Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina.
Carolyn Swords: Dominant Center
Carolyn Swords, a 6'6" junior center, earned All-ACC First Team honors. She was ranked #1 in NCAA Div I for field goal percentage in the 2009-10 and 2008-09 seasons and #3 during her freshman year, shooting over 66% from the field.
Tournament History
The Eagles have made seven appearances in the NCAA tournament, four appearances in the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), and one appearance in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT).
tags: #boston #college #women's #basketball #history
