The Basics
Drake men's soccer is set to begin their 2023 season with a pair of road matches against two quality foes. The Bulldogs will square off against Marquette in Milwaukee, Wis. on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Drake will then visit Wisconsin's capital city of Madison for a battle against Wisconsin. The Bulldogs and Badgers will face off on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake will look to replicate their solid 2022 campaign this year. The Bulldogs finished last season with a record of 7-4-4 overall and 5-2-1 in Missouri Valley Conference action. The Bulldogs began their 2023 year with a trio of exhibition games, one of which came against nationally ranked Creighton in Omaha.
Head coach Pat Flinn and the Bulldogs received 34 points in the 2023 MVC Preseason Poll, slotting them in seventh position. Reigning Valley champs Missouri State earned six first place votes and 78 points to lead the preseason rankings. Drake will square off against the usual MVC mainstays as well as three newcomers to the league. Former Mid-American Conference programs Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan will join one of the most competitive athletic conferences in the nation.
The Bulldogs also have some new faces as 11 newcomers joined the team. A handful of true freshmen and three transfer student-athletes have been welcomed to Des Moines.
Kevin Qi, a goalkeeper for the Bulldogs, rejoins the team after a season away from the program.
Individually, star forward
AJ Franklin was the lone Bulldog on the 2023 Preseason All-MVC Team and was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Forwards-to-Watch List. The former Marquette transfer led Drake last season with 18 points, 42 shots, 19 shots on goal, eight goals, and four game-winners.
Scouting Marquette
Marquette will look to improve upon their 2022 campaign after finishing last season with a 5-9-4 overall record and a 1-5-4 mark in league play. All five of the Golden Eagles' victories came at home in Milwaukee.
Head coach Louis Bennett returns 11 starters and an impressive 20 letterwinners from last year's squad. Forwards Beto Soto and Abdoul Karim Pare, who combined for 23 points a year ago, will aim to be the team's top scorers yet again.
Marquette owns Drake in their all-time series dating back to 1988 as the Bulldogs trail 2-8-1. The Golden Eagles defeated Drake in their most recent match, a 2-0 shutout in 2014.
Scouting Wisconsin
The Badgers of Wisconsin enter the 2023 season with middling expectations after being selected to finish sixth in the 2023 Big Ten Men's Soccer Preseason Poll. Midfielders Tim Bielic and Maxwell Keenan, as well as UCLA transfer goalkeeper Nate Crockford were featured on the Big Ten men's soccer watch list.
Wisconsin ended the 2022 season with an even .500 record of 6-6-4 overall and 3-4-1 in conference play. The Badgers and Bulldogs faced off in a late-season non-conference tilt last season. Their match ended in a 1-1 draw in Madison. Drake also trails in the all-time series with Wisconsin by a 2-6-1 margin.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will return to Des Moines for their 2023 home opener. Western Illinois is set to visit Drake on Friday, Sep. 1 at 7 p.m.
