Sports Commentary
The 2024-25 school year for the Drake University Bulldogs has been nothing short of record-breaking, from a new school basketball record to a second consecutive football championship title. Now that Bulldogs from around the globe are winding down for the summer, it’s the perfect time to look ahead to the next school year and what sports Bulldogs should look out for. As your 2024-25 sports editor at The Times-Delphic, I’m here to give you some of my top picks for sports to look out for come August.
“Raising the Bar” for football
Although many Bulldogs don’t take advantage of weekend home games in Drake Stadium, the Drake men’s football team is looking to three-peat the Pioneer League championship in the 2025-26 season with the help of the former Grandview University football coach Joe Woodley. The Clive, Iowa, native had a 72-5 record coaching the Vikings in his six seasons as and is one of the most decorated National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics coaches in the division. Drake kicks off the season with its first of five home games on Aug. 28 against the Upper Iowa University Peacocks at Drake. It will be a prime Thursday night game for new and returning students.
Scoring big in Mediacom
A personal favorite sport to write about is women’s and men’s soccer.There is no better way to spend your afternoon than getting paid to write a soccer story while eating a soft pretzel in the sun after a long day. The Drake soccer programs are loaded with talent, having played some of the nation’s biggest teams like the University of Kansas Jayhawks and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Drake has both programs playing in the fall, making it the perfect time for you to catch a game or two during the week or on the weekends as something to do close to campus, but in a less formal setting. It’s a simple walk to Mediacom Stadium and an even simpler, exciting pastime.
Drake is now a basketball school?
It’s no secret that Drake made a name for itself earlier this year when the men’s team made it to the second round of March Madness for the first time since 1971. The Bulldogs were also the first team to make it to 20 and 30 wins for the season, achieving a best-ever record of 31-4 after beating the University of Missouri in the first round and losing in the second to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who were a No. 3 seed in the tournament.
On the women’s side, the team played the University of Marquette Golden Eagles in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament on Drake’s home court before the end of the season. Both programs put good reputations to their names, and that legacy will only carry into the 2025-26 season with all new players and coaches on both sides of the court.
Although the men’s team has a new roster and coaching lineup, the same situation led to now University of Iowa head coach Ben McCollum and the crew to make history, and the best part about history is it can always be remade. For the sake of Bulldog fans, though, let’s hope Eric Henderson sticks around for more than a season.
My overall thoughts
Although it will be hard to top the 2024-25 sporting calendar year in my books, Drake has so much in store for the 2025-26 school year that we can’t even try to start predicting. Whether you’re a diehard Bulldog fan or just learned what football downs mean, Drake is one of the best places to get into the swing of things without too much pressure of commitment while also enjoying the free cost that won’t weigh your pockets down like many other Division I schools. All in all, “Here’s to those who’ve fought and won,” as the old Drake fight song goes, so buckle up Bulldogs. Next year’s fighting and winning is just a summer away.
