The Basics
The Lindsay Diehl era of Bulldog softball is set to begin this weekend as Drake travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa for the Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic hosted by UNI. The Bulldogs will face off against a foursome of non-conference opponents in five games from Feb. 9-11.
 
Bulldogs by the Numbers
The Bulldogs are now under the direction of first-year head coach Lindsay Diehl, who comes to Drake after a successful stint at junior college power Indian Hills Community College. Drake has been slated eighth in the preseason poll. Perennial power UNI earned 10 first place votes as the preseason favorite. Both Southern Illinois and Missouri State also garnered a single first place vote apiece to take second and third. The entire preseason poll is listed below.
 
As a team, Drake will look to improve after posting records of 18-34 overall and 10-17 in MVC play last season. The Bulldogs went 8-17 in non-conference action including 6-10 in early-season invitationals.
 
Individually, the Bulldogs did not receive a nod to the All-MVC team. The Bulldogs return the bulk of their production from last season including the top two offensive pieces in utility players Emma Dighton and Emily Valtman. Both players eclipsed the .300-average mark at the plate while Dighton also brings back the most pitching experience with 81 innings and 28 appearances in the circle.
 
Scouting the Competition
Drake will bookend the weekend with matchups against the Mavericks of Omaha. Omaha was tabbed to finish second in the Summit League Preseason Poll earlier this week with three of seven first place votes. Infielder Lynsey Tucker and pitcher Kamryn Meyer were named Players to Watch for Omaha. Meyer, a graduate student and native of Wilton, Iowa, finished last season with a 22-7 record and 1.14 ERA over 178.2 innings in the circle.
 
As a team, Omaha finished last season at 33-17 overall and 15-5 in Summit League play. The Mavericks beat 2024 preseason favorite South Dakota State in the league title to earn their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
 
Drake leads the all-time series with Omaha by a 7-5 margin. The two teams will square off on Friday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.
 
Drake's second game will be against Coach Diehl's alma mater, the Western Illinois Leathernecks. WIU was picked to finish ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference in their first season in the league after realigning from the Summit. Senior infielder Bella Alvarez was named as Western's Player to Watch after leading the Leathernecks in hits, doubles, and total bases last season.
 
Western Illinois is looking to improve upon their records of 9-36 overall and 3-15 in conference action last season during their final Summit League campaign.
 
Drake leads the all-time series with the Leathernecks, 6-4. The two squads will take each other on at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.
 
The weekend will continue with a Bulldog battle between Drake and Butler, two Pioneer Football League rivals. Butler was slated in fourth place in the Big East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll and was the highest selection to not receive any first-place votes. Last year's Big East Tournament No. 2 seed will need to replicate the success of last year's Pitcher of the Year Alyssa Graves and two All-Big East players in Lauren Fey and Bri Avery, all three departed the program. Butler will aim to do so with the addition of seven true freshmen and Eastern Illinois transfer pitcher Sydney Cammon.
 
Butler finished as a top-two team in the Big East last year after posting a 12-9 record in league play and an 18-35 record overall.
 
This weekend's meeting between Drake and Butler will be the third all-time with the current record split at 1-1. The Bulldog battle will commence at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.
 
Northern Illinois enters the season as a middling favorite in the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies were slated sixth in the MAC and return outfielder Courtney James, their leader in doubles and runs scored last season. NIU also brings back Caitlyn Shumaker, the program's single season steals leader, and utility player Danielle Stewart, an NFCA All-Region and All-MAC performer.
 
The Huskies posted a 26-25 overall record in 2023.
 
Drake won the only previous meeting between them and Northern Illinois. The Bulldogs earned a 5-4 result in 2007. Drake will take on NIU in their penultimate matchup of the weekend at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11.
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will head for warmer weather next weekend when they travel to Tucson, Ariz. for the Hillenbrand Invitational hosted by the University of Arizona. Drake will battle the host Wildcats plus Central Michigan, Marshall, and Indiana from Feb. 22-24.