Drake Bulldogs
Encyclopedia
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport. Drake used to field nationally known football, baseball, and wrestling teams as scholarship sports. The university is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
and competes in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I; they play in the Pioneer Football League
Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
(FCS) fielding 15 varsity teams in nine sports. In addition, Drake has fielded teams in multiple club sports through its history. Their rivals are the Bradley Braves
Bradley Braves
The Bradley Braves are the intercollegiate athletics teams of Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois.Bradley is best known for its college basketball success. Bradley has been to eight NCAA tournaments, including two national championship games, three Elite 8's, and four Sweet 16's...
, Creighton Bluejays
Creighton Bluejays
The Creighton Bluejays, or Jays, are the athletic teams of Creighton University, a Jesuit/Catholic University located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Creighton competes in NCAA Division I athletics, competing in the Missouri Valley Conference...
, Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
, Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
, and Northern Iowa Panthers
Northern Iowa Panthers
The Northern Iowa Panthers are the athletic teams of the University of Northern Iowa. The university is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 15 varsity teams in 11 sports:...
. They are also rivals in football with the Butler Bulldogs
Butler Bulldogs
All but one of Butler University's 19 intercollegiate teams compete in the Horizon League, along with Cleveland State, Detroit, Green Bay, Loyola, Milwaukee, UIC, Valparaiso, Wright State and Youngstown State...
, Dayton Flyers
Dayton Flyers
The Dayton Flyers are the University of Dayton's intercollegiate athletic teams, which are based in Dayton, Ohio. The Flyers' home arena is the University of Dayton Arena. The name is a reference and homage to Daytonians Orville and Wilbur Wright who pioneered heavier than air flight...
, and San Diego Toreros.
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1890s
- First football game played in 1893, along with the first baseball games and men’s track meet.
- Big Four Series rivalry between Drake, Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa was founded.
- Drake defeated #1 Nebraska 6-5 to earn the honors of best football team in the west in 1898.
1900s
- First men’s basketball game was played in 1906.
- Drake became charter member of the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
in 1907. - Drake earns Bulldogs nickname in 1908 thanks to Art Gordon, sports editor of the Des Moines RegisterDes Moines RegisterThe Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
. Then football coach John L. Griffith had two Bulldogs on the sideline during a football game, causing Gordon to dub the team “the Bulldogs”.
1910s
- First Drake RelaysDrake RelaysThe Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
held in April 1910, during an IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
snow storm. - A wrestling meet was held at Drake for the first time in 1911.
1920s
- Drake concludes the only perfect season in their football history, defeating Mississippi StateMississippi State Bulldogs footballThe Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
48-6 in the annual Thanksgiving Classic game. The Bulldogs would finish 7-0-0 and share the national championship in some national polls. They were invited to the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
for their accomplishments. Drake also won the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
football championship in 1928 and 1929. - Drake StadiumDrake StadiumDrake Stadium is a stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays, and is the home field of the Drake University Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity from 18,000...
constructed and used for first time in 1925. - Babe Ruth visits and participates in a football scrimmage in 1926 during the homecoming festivities.
- Drake begins a home and away football series with Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
in 1926. - The Bulldogs defeated UCLAUCLA Bruins FootballThe UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
in 1927 Thanksgiving Classic at the Rose Bowl 25-6. - Drake StadiumDrake StadiumDrake Stadium is a stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays, and is the home field of the Drake University Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity from 18,000...
held the first night football game, with the Bulldogs defeating Simpson CollegeSimpson CollegeSimpson College is a four-year, coeducational liberal arts institution situated in Indianola, Iowa, USA, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Simpson, which has been fully accredited by North Central Association since 1913, is a small school with approximately 1,400 full-time students...
on October 6, 1928. - Drake won first Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
baseball league in 1929.
1930s
- Drake wins the 1930 and 1931 Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
football championships. In 1931, the Bulldogs played HawaiiHawaii Warriors footballThe Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
in the Aloha Classic, falling 19-13, becoming the first IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
team to visit the state of HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. - In 1930, the Bulldogs play the first night football game at Soldier FieldSoldier FieldSoldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
in the intersectional night games, losing a close contest to the OregonOregon Ducks footballThe Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
14-7. - Drake RelaysDrake RelaysThe Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
becomes twenty-five years old in 1934. - Linn Philson wins the 1935 NCAA High Jump Championship.
- Men’s basketball win’s three Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
Championships (1934-35, 1935-36, 1938-39) and advances to three postseason tournaments. - Men’s track & field won four Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles (1931, 1933, 1935, 1936). - Drake concludes football series in 1937 with Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
- September 23, 1938, Drake plays the first double-header in NCAA Football history defeating Central CollegeCentral CollegeCentral College is a private liberal arts college located in Pella, Iowa. It is a four-year school affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. Central has a student body of approximately 1,600 undergraduates and a main campus...
45-0 and Monmouth 47-0.
1940s
- Drake wins NCAA National Championship for cross country in 1944, 1945, and 1946.
- Fred Feiler win’s the NCAA Individual Cross County Championship in 1944 and 1945.
- The wrestling team wins National Championships in 1944 and 1945. No NCAA National Meet was held in these years due to World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Team champions were recognized by national polls. - January 1, 1946, Drake becomes the first IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
school to play in a Bowl GameBowl gameIn North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
defeating Fresno StateFresno State BulldogsThe Fresno State Bulldogs represent California State University, Fresno in 19 NCAA Division I sports. The teams have been members of the Western Athletic Conference since 1992. Before that, it had been a member of the Big West Conference since 1969...
in the Raisin BowlRaisin BowlThe Raisin Bowl was an annual post-season American college football bowl game played at Ratcliffe Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1946 to 1949. The first four games were played on January 1, the last on December 31. The games pitted a California team against an at-large team...
. On January 1, 1949, the Bulldogs would also defeat ArizonaArizona Wildcats footballThe Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
in the Salad BowlSalad Bowl (American College Football)The Salad Bowl was an annual post-season American college football bowl game played at Montgomery Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1948 to 1952. Despite the clever name, the bowl folded in 1952 and is unlikely to return, although it was a precursor to the current Fiesta Bowl.-Game results:...
. - Bulldog track & field star Don Pettie of CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
participates in the 100 meter and 200 meter 1948 Olympic Games1948 Summer OlympicsThe 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
.
1950s
- October 20, 1951, Johnny Bright IncidentJohnny Bright IncidentThe "Johnny Bright Incident" was a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by White American player Wilbanks Smith during an American college football game held on October 20, 1951 in Stillwater, Oklahoma...
occurs at football game versus Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahma StateOklahoma State Cowboys footballThe Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
). As result, Drake withdrew from Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
. - Johnny BrightJohnny BrightJohnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
is invited to 1951 Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
ceremonies, finishing fifth in the voting. - Drake track & field standouts Arnold Betton (High Jump) and Jim Lavery (400 meter & 4x400 meter relay) participate in the 1952 Olympic Games1952 Summer OlympicsThe 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
. - Jim Ford wins the 1952 NCAA Championship in the 200 meters.
- The first soccer game played as a NCAA Division I club sport in 1954.
- Drake re-joins the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
in 1956. - January 1, 1958, the Bulldogs play LouisvilleLouisville Cardinals footballThe Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
in the Sun BowlSun BowlThe Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
. - Drake RelaysDrake RelaysThe Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
turns fifty years old in 1959. - Bulldogs track & field star Bob Soth places 3rd in 1959 [Pan American Games] 10,000 meter at Chicago, ILL.
1960s
- Bulldogs track & field star Bob Soth runs the 5,000 meter at the 1960 Olympic Games.
- Drake RelaysDrake RelaysThe Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
becomes the first sporting event televised on ABC’s Wide World of Sports in 1961. - Drake earns co-championship in 1963-64 Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
, qualifying for first National Invitational Tournament in men’s basketball. - Men’s basketball wins the 1968-1969 Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
title advancing to the 1969 Final FourFinal fourFinal Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. In a close contest, Drake fell to UCLAUCLA Bruins men's basketballThe UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
before defeating North CarolinaNorth Carolina Tar Heels men's basketballThe North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
in the third place game. - The Bulldogs compete against Arkansas StateArkansas State Red Wolves footballThe Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represents Arkansas State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football competition. The team was originally founded in 1911, and, since 2001, Arkansas State has competed as a member of the...
in the 1969 Pecan BowlPecan BowlPecan Bowl, a postseason college football bowl game, was first played at Shotwell Stadium located in Abilene, Texas. The first game took place in December 1964, and was played there each year until 1968, when the location was moved to Arlington, Texas. One of four regional playoff bowls of the NCAA...
. - Drake win’s two conference indoor and five conference outdoor track & field championships.
- Legend Dolph PulliamDolph PulliamAdolphus "Dolph" Pulliam is a former American basketball player. He played collegiately at Drake University. He was named to Drake University's All-Century basketball team. He helped lead the Drake men's basketball team to the 1969 Final Four and a third place finish...
becomes the first athlete to be selected in both the NBA and NFL drafts. Pulliam was drafted by the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
and Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in 1969.
1970s
- Baseball downgraded to NCAA Club Division I status in 1970.
- Drake advances to the Elite Eight of the NCAA TournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 1970 and 1971 after winning the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
men’s basketball titles. - Rick WanamakerRick WanamakerRick Wanamaker is an American track and basketball athlete, known principally for winning the decathlon in the 1971 Pan American Games and for blocking a shot against Lew Alcindor in the 1969 NCAA national basketball semi-finals.Rick Wanamaker attended Iowa Valley High School in Marengo, where he...
wins the 1970 NCAA Championship and 1971 Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
Gold Medal in the decathlon. - Bulldogs sweep the cross county, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles in 1970-71 school year. A total of five men’s indoor track & field titles were won in the decade. - Former Drake All-American Willie WiseWillie WiseWillie M. Wise is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars as a walk-on in 1969...
wins the American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
Championship with the Utah StarsUtah StarsThe Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
. - Pioneer BowlPioneer BowlThe Pioneer Bowl is a bowl game between football teams from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 2007 and is one of two bowl games between historically black colleges and universities...
features Drake and Tennessee StateTennessee State Tigers footballThe Tennessee State Tigers are the college football team representing the Tennessee State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.-National championships:*1946*1947*1954*1956*1965...
in 1972. - Women’s basketball was played for the first time in 1974.
- First men’s rugby game played at Drake in 1974.
- The Bulldogs win 19751975 National Commissioners Invitational TournamentThe 1975 National Commissioners Invitational Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 8 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 1975 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or 1975 National Invitation Tournament. Drake defeated...
National Commissioners Invitational Tournament in men’s basketball. - First women’s volleyball game was held at Drake in 1976. The Bulldogs would qualify for the postseason in four out of their first five seasons.
1980s
- Former Bulldogs men’s basketball standout, Wayne KreklowWayne KreklowWayne R. Kreklow in is a former American professional basketball player.Born in Neenah, Wisconsin, Kreklow was a 6'4" guard from Drake University, Kreklow was a member of the 1980-81 Boston Celtics team...
, wins 1980-81 NBA FinalsNBA FinalsThe NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
with Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. - Drake finishes 1981 football season with 10-1 record. The lone loss to Tulsa costs a perfect season and postseason birth (teams shared the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
title). The team was tentatively schedule to play in the Aloha BowlAloha BowlThe Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
(the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
runner-up tie-in), but the bowl failed to receive certification until the 1982 season. - The Bulldogs advance to the 1981 and 1986 National Invitational Tournament in men’s basketball.
- Women’s basketball wins three Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
Championships and advances to six postseason tournaments. They advance to NCAA Elite Eight in 1982 (ironically, their loss to Maryland in that game, 89-78, features what remains the highest single-game individual scoring record in women’s collegiate postseason history, Lorri Bauman with 50). - Drake Relays celebrates its seventy-fifth birthday in 1984.
- Football team chooses to not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") following 1985 season.
- Soccer is upgraded from an NCAA Club Division I sport to fully funded NCAA Division I sport in 1986.
- Former Drake standout Pat DunsmorePat DunsmorePat Dunsmore is a former professional American football player who played tight end for two seasons for the Chicago Bears. He is a graduate of Ankeny High School in Ankeny, Iowa and Drake University....
wins the 1986 Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Championship as a member of the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
1990s
- Former Drake track & field standout Kevin LittleKevin LittleKevin Little is a former American athlete, who specialized in sprints. He won the 200 meter race in the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Paris, France. He won bronze in the same event in the 1989, 1993, and 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships.Little graduated from Ankeny High School in 1986...
wins the 200 meter at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships1997 IAAF World Indoor ChampionshipsThe 6th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France from March 7 to March 9, 1997. It was the first athletic championships to introduce women's pole vault...
, setting a new world indoor 200 meter record. Little participate in the IAAF World Indoor Championships on three occasions and the IAAF World Outdoor ChampionshipsIAAF World ChampionshipsIAAF World Championships may refer to any of the World Championship events organized by the IAAF:* IAAF World Championships in Athletics* IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics* IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
three times. He also won the 1991 Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
Silver Medal in the 200 meters, and is the only track & field athlete to have his jersey retired at Drake. - Women’s rugby game played for first time at Drake in 1991.
- Knapp CenterKnapp CenterThe Knapp Center is a 7,000 seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. It was built in 1992, and is the home of the Drake Bulldogs. The first Drake Bulldogs basketball game was played on December 5, 1992....
opens for the first time in 1992. - Football team joins Pioneer Football LeaguePioneer Football LeagueThe Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
in 1993. They win the 1995 and 1998 conference titles and finish as runners-up in the Sports Network Cup. - Women’s basketball win’s three conference titles and advance to four postseason tournaments in the decade.
- Wrestling downgraded to NCAA Club Division I status in 1994 and swimming downgraded in 1995.
- Former Drake softball standout Dani TylerDani TylerDanielle M. "Dani" Tyler is an American softball player and Olympic champion.She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta where she received a gold medal with the American team.Tyler played softball at Drake University....
wins Olympic Gold Medal as part of the champion USA Softball team in the 1996 Olympic Games. - Men’s tennis wins six Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championships and women’s tennis capture seven Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles. - The Drake club men’s ice hockey team is ranked #1 in the ACHA polls for seven straight weeks before falling in the National Tournament Elite Eight in 1998-99 season. The Bulldogs qualified for the postseason tournament nine times in the decade, the most out of any NCAA Division I Club team.
- Men’s cross county wins 1999 Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
title, while women’s cross county wins Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
in 1994, 1995, and 1998.
2000s
- Drake won two football conference championships and finished second in the Sports Network Cup three times.
- Women’s basketball won three Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championships and advanced to seven postseason tournaments. - Former Drake soccer standout Ezra HendricksonEzra HendricksonEzra Hendrickson is a retired Vincentian footballer. He played professionally in the United States' Major League Soccer with New York MetroStars, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, and Chivas USA, and was also a member of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national team...
wins three MLS CupMLS CupThe MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
s in the decade (2002 Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
, 2004 D.C. UnitedD.C. UnitedD.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
, and 2008 Columbus CrewColumbus CrewThe Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
). He also wins the 2000 CONCACAF Champions LeagueCONCACAF Champions LeagueThe CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
and 2001 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup while with the Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles GalaxyThe Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
. - Former Drake standout Billy CundiffBilly CundiffWilliam A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
ties an NFL record with seven field goals in a game against the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on Monday Night FootballMonday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, September 15, 2003. - 2007-08 men’s basketball team won the Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
regular season and tournament titles. They advanced to the NCAA tournament, finishing with a school best 28-5 record. The next season, Drake would play in the College Insider.com postseason tournament. - Women’s soccer win’s four Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles and advances to 2006 NCAA Tournament. - Former Drake standout Zach JohnsonZach JohnsonZach Johnson is an American golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.Zach Johnson may also refer to:* Zack "Jick" Johnson, one of the creators of Kingdom of Loathing* Zachary Johnson, former drummer for The Fray...
wins 2007 Masters Tournament2007 Masters TournamentThe 2007 Masters Tournament was contested from April 5-8 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 71st Masters Tournament, and the first major contested in the 2007 season...
in golf on April 8, 2007. - Men’s soccer win’s 2008 and 2009 Missouri Valley ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles, while advancing to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. The Bulldogs would go all the way to the Elite Eight in 2009. - Drake RelaysDrake RelaysThe Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
turns one hundred years old, making it the second oldest track meet in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
behind the Penn RelaysPenn RelaysThe Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
in 2009.
2010s
- On September 1, 2010, Drake announced it would forgo its normal postseason tie-ins in order to participate in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, the first American FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. - Former Drake All-American kicker, Billy CundiffBilly CundiffWilliam A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
, named a starter for the AFCAmerican Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
in the 2011 Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on December 28, 2010.
Drake Relays
Drake University also hosts the Drake RelaysDrake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
during April. This track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
event has been held since 1910, and is the second-largest collegiate track and field event in the United States. Participants come from all over the world to compete in this three-day event, which also helps to draw large crowds of spectators to Des Moines. Many Olympic athletes can be found participating in these events, which commonly break national and world records.
Team pages
- Football:
- Men's Basketball:
- Women's Basketball:
- Men's Soccer:
Championships by sport
| Sport | Affiliation | Big Four Series Championships | Regular Season Conference Championships | Conference Tournament Championships | Postseason Appearances | National Championships |
| Baseball | NCAA Club Division I | 26: 1890, 1893, 1894, 1899, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1970 | 8: 1929, 1936, 1947, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966 | 1966 | 6: 1947, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament Second Round (1963, 1966) |
| Basketball (Men’s) | NCAA Division I | 19 Iowa Big Four men's college basketball The Iowa Big Four men's college basketball results show the state of Iowa division I champion for each year. The universities are the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and Drake University... : 1921-22, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1925-26, 1936-37, 1937-38, 1938-39, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1960-61, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1978-79, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 |
8: 1934-35, 1935-36, 1938-39, 1963-64, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 2007-08 | 1: 2007-08 | 12: 1935-36, 1937-38, 1938-39, 1963-64, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1974-75, 1980-81, 1985-86, 2007-08, 2008-09 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament Final Four (1968-69, Third Place) |
| Basketball (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 13: 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2001-02 | 9: 1981-82, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02 | 5: 1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2006-07 | 19: 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament Elite Eight (1981-82) |
| Bowling (Men’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 4: 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988 | 3: 1986, 1987, 1988 | 3: 1986, 1987, 1988 | 3: 1986, 1987, 1988 | None: Top Finish National Tournament First Round (1986, 1987, 1988) |
| Bowling (Women’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 5: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 | 2: 1987, 1988 | 2: 1987, 1988 | 2: 1987, 1988 | None: Top Finish National Tournament Second Round (1988) |
| Crew (Men’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 10: 1981, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 | 4: 1981, 1982, 1988, 1995 | 4: 1981, 1982, 1988, 1995 | 11: 1981, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 , 2005 | None: Top Finish National Tournament National Round (1981, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2004) |
| Crew (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 13: 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 | 3: 1988, 1989, 1997 | 3: 1988, 1989, 1997 | 18: 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 | None: Top Finish National Tournament National Round (1988, 1997) |
| Cross County (Men’s) | NCAA Division I | 48: 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009 | 10: 1947, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1999 | 10: 1947, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1999 | 49: 1938, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1948, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | 3: 1944, 1945, 1946 |
| Cross County (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 13: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2006 | 3: 1994, 1995, 1998 | 3: 1994, 1995, 1998 | 28: 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1981, 1982) |
| Football | NCAA Division I | 22: 1898, 1901, 1908, 1909, 1922, 1923, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1937, 1939, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1957, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1981, 1986 | 12: 1922, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1969, 1972, 1981, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2004 | 4: 1995, 1998, 2000, 2004 | 11: 1945 (January 1946), 1948 (January 1949), 1957 (January 1958), 1969, 1972, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2010 (May 2011) | 1: 1922 |
| Golf (Men’s) | NCAA Division I | 25: 1942, 1944, 1953, 1956, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 | 2: 1997, 1998 | 2: 1997, 1998 | 2: 1997, 1998 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1997, 1998) |
| Golf (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 5: 1980, 1982, 2006, 2007, 2008 | 2: 1980, 1982 | 2: 1980, 1982 | 2: 1980, 1982 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1980, 1982) |
| Ice Hockey (Men’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 13: 1980-81, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09 | 10: 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04 | 12: 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10 | 22: 1980-81, 1985-86, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10 | None: Top Finish Elite Eight (1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99) |
| Ice Hockey (Women’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 5: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, 2001-02 | 5: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, 2001-02 | 5: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, 2001-02 | 5: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, 2001-02 | None: Top Finish Elite Eight (1997-98) |
| Soccer (Men’s) | NCAA Division I | 37: 1954, 1955, 1957, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | 2: 2008, 2009 | 1: 2009 | 2: 2008, 2009 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament Elite Eight (2009) |
| Soccer (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 11: 1981, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 | 4: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 | 1: 2006 | 1: 2006 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament First Round (2006) |
| Softball | NCAA Division I | 5: 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 2008 | 1: 1994 | 3: 1993, 1994, 2008 | 3: 1993, 1994, 2008 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament First Round (1993, 1994, 1998) |
| Swimming & Diving (Men’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 22: 1924-25, 1929-30, 1931-32, 1933-34, 1944-45, 1951-52, 1952-53, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1966-67, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 | 13: 1929-30, 1933-34, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92 | 13: 1929-30, 1933-34, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92 | 13: 1929-30, 1933-34, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1929-30, 1933-34, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1979-80, 1980-81) |
| Swimming & Diving (Women’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 8: 1978-79, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1998-99 | 3: 1979-80, 1981-82, 1993-94 | 3: 1979-80, 1981-82, 1993-94 | 3: 1979-80, 1981-82, 1993-94 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1979-80, 1981-82) |
| Tennis (Men’s) | NCAA Division I | 29: 1911-1912, 1921-1922, 1930-1931, 1945-1946, 1946-1947, 1947-1948, 1952-1953, 1954-1955, 1955-1956, 1957-1958, 1963-1964, 1968-1969, 1974-1975, 1975-1976, 1981-1980, 1980-1981, 1982-1983, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1990-1991, 1991-1992, 1992-1993, 1993-1994, 1994-1995, 1997-1998, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 | 6: 1991-92, 1992-93, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 | 3: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 | 10: 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1997-98, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1991-92, 1993-94, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08) |
| Tennis (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 15: 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2005-06, 2007-08 | 8: 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-00, | 12: 1983-84, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01 | 11: 1983-84, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1998-99) |
| Track & Field (Men’s Indoor) | NCAA Division I | 10: 1967-68, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1999-2000 | 8: 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75 | '8: 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75 | 21: 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 190-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75) |
| Track & Field (Men’s Outdoor) | NCAA Division I | 30: 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1910, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1943, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1957, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1988, 1989, 2000 | 10: 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971 | 10: 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971 | 21: 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971) |
| Track & Field (Women’s Indoor) | NCAA Division I | 6: 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1990-91 | 2: 1980-81, 1981-82 | 2: 1980-81, 1981-82 | 15: 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1998-99) |
| Track & Field (Women’s Outdoor) | NCAA Division I | 9: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991 | 3: 1979, 1980, 1981 | 3: 1979, 1980, 1981 | 16: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 | None: Top Finish NCAA National Round (1979, 1980, 1981) |
| Volleyball (Men’s) | NCAA Club Division I | 7: 1975, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1991 | 3: 1979, 1980, 1984 | 4: 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986 | 5: 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1986 | None: Top Finish Elite Eight (1975) |
| Volleyball (Women’s) | NCAA Division I | 10: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1996 | 4: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 | 4: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 | 4: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 | None: Top Finish NCAA Tournament First Round (1976, 1977, 1978, 1981) |
| Wrestling | NCAA Club Division I | 10: 1928-29, 1929-30, 1934-35, 1940-41, 1942-43, 1943-44, 1944-45, 1945-46, 1947-48, 1955-56 | 37: 1931-32, 1935-36, 1942-43, 1943-44, 1944-45, 1946-47, 1949-50, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1963-64, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2007-08 | 36: 1956-57, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2003-03, 2003-04, 2009-10 | 50: 1931-32, 1935-36, 1942-43, 1943-44, 1944-45, 1946-47, 1949-50, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05. 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 | 1944, 1945 |
| Championship History | Affiliation: 1893-present | Big Four: 1893-present | Conference Regular Season Championships: 1893-present | Conference Tournament Championships: 1893-present | Postseason Appearances: 1893-present | National Championships: 1893-present |
- Baseball was a NCAA Division I sport until 1970. It became a NCAA Division I Club sport in 1971.
- Women’s Crew was a NCAA Division I Club Sport until 1997. It became a NCAA Division I sport in 1998.
- Men’s Soccer was a NCAA Division I Club Sport until 1985. It became a NCAA Division I sport in 1986.
- Women’s Soccer was a NCAA Division I Club Sport until 2001. It became a NCAA Division I sport in 2002.
- Men’s Swimming & Diving was a NCAA Division I sport until 1994. It became a NCAA Division I Club sport after 1995.
- Women’s Swimming & Diving was a NCAA Division I sport until 1994. It became a NCAA Division I Club sport after 1995.
- Wrestling was a NCAA Division I sport until 1993. It became a NCAA Division I Club sport after 1994. The 1944 & 1945 NCAA National Championships were conducted off votes. No tournament was held due to World War II.
Facilities
| Facility | Year Opened | Sport | Current Capacity (Original Capacity) |
| Drake Stadium Drake Stadium Drake Stadium is a stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays, and is the home field of the Drake University Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity from 18,000... |
1925 | Football, Outdoor Track & Field, Soccer | 14,557 (18,000) |
| Knapp Center Knapp Center The Knapp Center is a 7,000 seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. It was built in 1992, and is the home of the Drake Bulldogs. The first Drake Bulldogs basketball game was played on December 5, 1992.... |
1992 | Basketball , Volleyball | 7,002 |
| Rodger Knapp Tennis Center | 1992 | Tennis | 1,000 |
| Buel Field | 2005 | Softball | 1,000 |
| James W. Cownie Soccer Complex | 1998 | Soccer | 2,000 |
| Drake Field House | 1925 | Indoor Track & Field, Wrestling | 4,000 (6,500) |
| Ewing Park | State Park | Cross Country | Standing Room Only |
| Bell Center | 1962 | Gymnastics, Fencing, Swimming & Diving, Water Polo | 1,000 |
| Drake Intermural Fields | 1893 | Baseball, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Rugby | 2,000 |
| Metro Ice Sports Facility | 1996 | Curling, Ice Hockey | 4,000 |
| Plaza Lanes | 1960 | Bowling | Standing Room Only |
| Total | 11 Facilities | 7 On-Campus Facilities | 4 Off-Campus Facilities |
Notable Bulldogs
- Johnny BrightJohnny BrightJohnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
- football player - Billy CundiffBilly CundiffWilliam A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
- football player - Brandy Dahir - women's basketball player
- Adam EmmeneckerAdam EmmeneckerAdam Cannata Emmenecker is an American basketball player who completed his college career as a point guard at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa in 2008...
- basketball player - Wanda Ford - women's basketball player
- York HentschelYork HentschelYork Hentschel was a Grey Cup champion defensive lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos.As a member of the famed "Alberta Crude" defence, Hentschel won 3 Grey Cups with the Eskimos...
- football player - Zach JohnsonZach JohnsonZach Johnson is an American golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.Zach Johnson may also refer to:* Zack "Jick" Johnson, one of the creators of Kingdom of Loathing* Zachary Johnson, former drummer for The Fray...
- professional golfer - Karl KassulkeKarl KassulkeKarl Otto Kassulke was a former professional American football player.Kassulke graduated from Drake University, where he starred as a safety. He played 10 seasons in the National Football League, all with the Minnesota Vikings...
- football player - Lewis LloydLewis LloydLewis Kevin Lloyd is a retired American basketball player. A 6'6" swingman, he played most of his professional career for the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets.-High school and college:...
- basketball player - Al McCoyAl McCoy (announcer)Al McCoy , sometimes nicknamed as The Voice Of The Suns, has been the radio broadcast announcer of Phoenix Suns NBA basketball games since 1972 which makes him the longest tenured broadcaster in the NBA...
- sports broadcaster - McCoy McLemoreMcCoy McLemoreMcCoy McLemore was an American former college and professional basketball star of the 1960s and 1970s.McLemore attended Jack Yates High School...
- basketball player - Bob NetolickyBob NetolickyRobert Netolicky is a retired American basketball player. A 6'9" power forward/center, he played professionally in the now-defunct American Basketball Association from 1967 to 1976....
- basketball player - Dolph PulliamDolph PulliamAdolphus "Dolph" Pulliam is a former American basketball player. He played collegiately at Drake University. He was named to Drake University's All-Century basketball team. He helped lead the Drake men's basketball team to the 1969 Final Four and a third place finish...
- basketball player - Bill Stevenson - football player
- Dani Tyler - women's softball player
- Rick Wanamaker - basketball player, track and field athlete
- Willie WiseWillie WiseWillie M. Wise is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars as a walk-on in 1969...
- basketball player - Felix WrightFelix WrightFelix Carl Wright , is a former professional American football player who played safety from 1985-1992 for the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League....
- football player - David Paradeise - football player