Denise Brooks-Clauser receives her B.A. in physical education from St. Leo College where she was a superstar basketball player. She was the first female 1000 point scorer in the school''s history, and its all time assist leader. In 1984-85, she was named St. Leo''s Female Athlete of the Year. She was All-Sunshine State Conference for 3 consecutive years, and in 1992 was elected to the St. Leo College Hall of Fame. Mrs. Brooks-Clauser was the recipient of the 13th annual St. Leo College Sports Achievement Award, becoming the first female athlete and first basketball player to receive this nationally prominent award.

Mrs. Brooks-Clauser was a behavior management technician for the Asbury Park Board of Education. She was an assistant girls'' track and field coach. In 2002, she received the Brookdale Community College Wilbur Ray Scholarship Award for Educational Services. However, she wanted to stay involved in basketball. She answered an advertisement and began working as an official for 7th and 8th grade basketball games. She quickly moved up the ladder, working Freshman, JV, and then Varsity games. After six years, she was urged to try and become a college official. She moved from Junior Varsity to NCAA Division 1 games. Mrs. Brooks-Clauser caught the eye of scouts from the Women''s National Basketball Association and she was selected to officiate at the highest level of women''s basketball.

Mrs. Brooks-Clauser now officiates full time, at the college level from November-March, and in the WNBA from May to August. She has worked the "Sweet Sixteen" and the Women''s Final Four. Last year she was chosen to work the WNBA playoffs for the first time. "I have been chosen to call a lot of big games both in college and at the professional level. I have adjusted to the travel and love what I do."