Drake Bulldogs basketball — program history
Drake's basketball program began in 1906 in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Bulldogs compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The program reached its peak in the late 1960s under coach Maury John, reaching the Final Four in 1969. Drake has remained a competitive MVC program.
The name
The Bulldogs nickname was adopted in the early 1900s, representing the tenacious, never-give-up attitude the university wanted in its athletic teams.
Signature moment
Reaching the 1969 Final Four behind the play of Willie Wise and Willie McCarter, the greatest season in program history.
Drake served as the official host school when the NCAA Tournament brought first- and second-round games to Des Moines' Wells Fargo Arena in 2019, and Des Moines has become a regular host city for early-round tournament games.
The Drake Bulldogs compete in the MVC and hold an all-time record of 1414–1549 (.477 winning percentage) across 120 recorded seasons dating back to 1906-07. The program has reached 1 Final Four.
Season-by-season results
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