A pair of former Drake volleyball players – Rebecca Brown and Makena Schoene – are representing the Bulldogs internationally through their professional careers.
 

Brown (class of 2016) and Schoene (2017) were teammates for three seasons, and in that span, they helped lay the foundation to turn Drake volleyball around.

The Bulldogs won five matches in Brown's freshman year, and they mustered two victories in Schoene's ensuing freshman season. The pair persevered and demonstrated their fortitude, steadily increasing Drake's win total year-by-year until the Bulldogs posted 17 victories in 2016, Schoene's senior season. It was Drake's highest win total since 2010.

"I am very proud of the hard work my fellow teammates and I put in to get the program to where it is today," said Schoene. "For my class, in particular, we all agreed that there needed to be a change of attitude and work ethic, and we created a new culture at Drake based on trust, accountability and passion. We all bought into this culture and worked to make sure that any incoming player respected all that Drake volleyball was and could be in the future. As a senior, I was lucky  to be part of a team that displayed those values on and off the court. It was a key ingredient to our success as a program."

Brown and Schoene were instrumental in catalyzing Drake's turnaround. Brown, a setter from Bentonville, Ark., was a fixture in Drake's lineup in her four years on campus. She never finished below second on the team in assists, and she led the Bulldogs with 748 assists as a sophomore and 600 as a senior. Brown formed a potent duo with Schoene, who twice finished second at Drake in kills and led all Missouri Valley Conference right-side hitters with 406.5 points as a junior in 2015.

After wrapping up strong careers with the Bulldogs, both women earned professional opportunities after participating in events sponsored by Bring It Promotions. Schoene attended an August tryout in Maribor, Slovenia, where she was discovered by the coach of Volejbal Prerov in Czech Republic.

"He offered me a chance to come try out at their gym, so I took a night bus from Slovenia to the Czech Republic," said Schoene, a native of Seattle, Wash. "I practiced with the team for a few weeks before I signed an actual contract."

After completing a season in Czech Republic, Schoene played a year for WoVo Rovaniemi, a first-league team in Finland. She played her most recent season for Groupe E Valtra, which competes in Switzerland's highest league. Schoene led the team and finished sixth in the league in total points scored before the season was cut short due to COVID-19.

Schoene didn't have to look far for advice on tackling her professional career overseas. Her father, Russ, played basketball in Italy in addition to completing four seasons in the NBA.

"Growing up, I have always been proud of my father's hard work and success, but I never thought my path would take a similar trajectory," said Schoene. "He has been an invaluable resource in navigating the politics of Euro leagues and living my life off the court. His best advice has always been to trust my gut and be ready to adapt. Things are done differently in Europe and you have to learn to roll with it, but I shouldn't be afraid to ask questions and stand up for what I want to make this experience work for me."

Similar to Schoene, Brown's first experience in overseas athletics came before she turned pro. While at Drake, Brown took a trip to Thailand alongside head coach Darrin McBroom as part of the Athletes in Action program. During this time, Brown competed in tournaments and performed community service.

"That was an experience I will never forget," said Brown. "Being able to have a trip like that with my former coach was something that I know we will both cherish forever."

After earning degrees in public relations and English, Brown also earned herself a professional opportunity through Bring It Promotions, participating in an exposure tour that allowed her to compete in scrimmages across Europe.

"This opportunity opened my eyes to the potential to play at a higher level as well as have the possibility to live in a different country," Brown said. "My experience on this tour was pivotal in my decision to play professionally as I saw it was a career decision that I could succeed in and an unbelievable opportunity to see the world."

Brown signed with Amager Volleyball Klub in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the 2016-17 season and earned Player of the Tournament at the Nordic Qualifying Tournament in Norway. She also led her team to bronze medal finishes in the Danish First Ladies League and the Nordic Cup Championship.

In 2017, she moved on to Annengsi Volleyball Club, where she contributed to a third-place finish in Cyprus' highest league. It was the club's best finish since the 1980s. Brown spent the 2018-19 campaign earning her master's degree from Northumbria University in England. She also competed for the school's volleyball team, helping it to second-place finishes in the BUCS University League as well as the England University Cup finals. It was during this time that Brown met her fiancé, a member of the Royal Air Force.

Brown's journey continued when she inked a deal with PSV Volleyball Club in Salzburg, Austria, but her volleyball season and wedding were postponed because of COVID-19.

Brown and Schoene both plan to continue their volleyball careers once the pandemic clears, and Schoene described the value of experiencing life in a different country.

"Living overseas has forced me out of my comfort zone," she said. "I have lived in three different countries, each with their own languages and culture. I have grown more comfortable with myself and confident in my abilities since starting this journey."

Brown credits her time at Drake for helping prepare her for tackling the challenges of pursuing professional athletics overseas.

"The values and discipline that we were taught while in the program have served me well in many areas of my life," said Brown. "Whether that is being a leader on a team in a foreign country or in job interviews. I am thankful for the routine and accountability that we built while being a Bulldog as it has allowed me to not only stand out as an individual but find success in all aspects of life."