The Basics
The two-time defending MVC Tournament champion Drake women's basketball team is set to open their 2024-25 campaign next week. The Bulldogs will begin their schedule on the road at North Dakota State (Nov. 4) before welcoming Saint Louis to the Knapp Center for their first home contest of the year (Nov. 7).
 
Bulldog Bites
Katie Dinnebier led Drake last season with 18.1 ppg. She is also the top distributor with 243 total assists and 6.9 assists per game. Her total assist numbers and distribution average were third in the nation behind WNBA draft picks Caitlin Clark (Iowa) and Nika Muhl (UConn). Dinnebier will look to replicate her MVC Player of the Year effort as a senior. The West Des Moines native was named the 2024-25 MVC Preseason Player of the Year and included on preseason watch lists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year and Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year.
 
Elsewhere, Senior forward Anna Miller recorded 17 double-doubles last season and led the MVC with 91 total blocks and 2.6 blocks per game. She ranked sixth in the country this season in total rejections and 10th in bpg. Miller is just five blocks away from tying Tammi Blackstone's all-time record at 218. Graduate student Courtney Becker is back in Des Moines for one last ride as a Bulldog. One of Drake's sparkplugs, Becker's energetic effort earned her a career high 8.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last year.
 
The Bulldogs welcome in nearly a handful of newbies to the roster. Guard Abbie Aalsma comes to Des Moines via Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State while the Bulldogs also added Peyton McCabe, Maggie Taylor, and Grace Knutson a trio of freshmen.
 
Head coach Allison Pohlman is the only coach in program history to lead the Dogs to at least 20 wins in their first three years at the helm. Drake's 29 wins last season were a single-season program record. The Bulldogs earned their 10th regular season conference title and 8th tournament title in program history.

Bulldog Leaders
Katie Dinnebier | 18.1 ppg, 6.9 apg, .416 3pt%
Anna Miller | 13.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.6 bpg
Courtney Becker | 8.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.1 spg


Scouting North Dakota State
North Dakota State enters the 2024-25 season looking to build off a solid run last year. The Bison finished 22-12 overall and 13-3 in Summit League play. Their season ended in the WNIT after an opening round win over Montana and a road loss at Minnesota. NDSU's game vs. Drake is the first of three straight home contests to begin the season.
 
The Bison return veteran Abby Schulte for her fifth season in Fargo as well as four true sophomores including Avery Koenen, one of last year's leading rebounders. The Bison will be looking for some added pop from transfers Molly Lenz (Illinois State) and Sacia Vanderpool (Wisconsin).
 
Bison Leaders
Abby Krzewinski | 7.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .505 FG%
Abby Schulte | 7.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.3 apg
Avery Koenen | 5.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .471 FG%
 
 
Scouting Saint Louis
The Billikens of Saint Louis will aim to return to form this season after a 22-18 campaign last year. Their 2023-24 season included a record of 8-9 in A-10 competition and ended on a high note as the Billikens sprinted through the WNIT to earn the tournament championship.
 
SLU's leading scorer from a year ago, Peyton Kennedy, comes back to the Billikens roster and will look to head the charge once again. Guard Brooklyn Gray brings back another double digit scoring average while the Billikens added a familiar face in Mya Glanton, formerly of Indiana State.
  
Billiken Leaders
Peyton Kennedy | 16.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .870 FT%
Brooklyn Gray | 10.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, .819 FT%
Kennedy Calhoun | 5.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.2 spg
 
Up Next
Drake will be locked in for two straight rivalry matches as the Bulldogs travel to Omaha for a date with Creighton (Nov. 11) before the Iowa visits the Knapp Center (Nov. 17). The Bulldogs' bout with the Hawkeyes will include a special celebration of Drake women's basketball's 50th anniversary.