The Basics 
The Drake Bulldogs are back on the court as they begin their 2025 season campaign at the WKU Invitational from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Drake is scheduled to play in three games over the course of the WKU Invitational. The Bulldogs open play on Friday with a doubleheader against Loyola-Chicago and Wright State. Drake will wrap up its tournament on Saturday as it goes up against host institution Western Kentucky.
  
Bulldogs by the Numbers 
The Bulldogs are coming off a 2024 season in which they produced an overall record of 20-10 and went 16-2 in league play leading to a second-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference regular season. 2024 marked the third consecutive 20-win season for the Bulldogs. This season, the Bulldogs were picked third in the MVC Preseason Poll along with Illinois State, as each team tallied 95 points in the poll.
 
Senior Macy Daufeldt garnered a selection to the preseason All-MVC team. The West Liberty, Iowa, native had a decorated 2024 season earning MVC Co-Player of the Year, All-MVC First Team, and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention accolades. Other key returners for the Bulldogs include senior setter Addison Beagle, sophomore middle blocker Bliss Beck who was an MVC All-Freshman Team selection in 2024, and senior Aniyah Davis. Newcomers to the Bulldog squad this year include transfers Kacia Brown and Lily VanSeveren as well as a trio of freshman in Katie Quick, Izzy Earley, and Caroline Smith.
 
Returning Drake Leaders 
Kills | Macy Daufeldt – 484, Bliss Beck - 137
Assists | Addison Beagle – 891, Madison Geise – 319
Digs | Macy Daufeldt – 337, Addison Beagle – 253
Blocks | Bliss Beck – 112, Aniyah Davis – 74, Macy Daufeldt - 68 
Service Aces | Macy Daufeldt – 34, Addison Beagle – 23
 
Scouting Loyola-Chicago
The Ramblers, like the Bulldogs, will also begin their season on Friday. Loyola-Chicago compiled an overall record of 22-12 and went 13-5 in Atlantic-10 play a season ago. The Ramblers earned their way to the NCAA Tournament last year claiming the A-10 Tournament Championship and defeated BYU in the opening round before falling to Purdue in the following round.
 
This season, Loyola-Chicago was voted third in the A-10 Preseason Poll behind Dayton and VCU.
 
In the all-time series, Loyola-Chicago leads Drake by a mark of 19-9. In a clash of former Missouri Valley Conference members, the Bulldogs and Ramblers split their season series the last time the two teams matched up on the court back in 2021. 
 
Returning Loyola-Chicago Leaders
Kills | Ann Marie Remmes – 251, Avary DeBlieck - 168
Assists | Sam Falk – 126, Jae Fitting – 63
Digs | Sam Falk – 314, Jae Fitting – 251, Jordan Bruckner – 106
Blocks | Ann Marie Remmes – 107, Avary DeBlieck – 97
Service Aces | Sam Falk – 31, Jae Fitting – 18
 
Scouting Wright State 
The Bulldogs will match up with the Raiders in their second match of the day on Friday after Wright State opens its tournament against hosts WKU. Wright State was voted as the favorites in the Horizon League this season, which marks five times in the last six seasons that it has been placed at the top of its preseason poll.
 
Drake and Wright State have only faced off one time previously in a neutral site contest from Ames, Iowa in 2022. The Bulldogs came away with the win in a tightly contested match, 3-2.
 
Returning Wright State Leaders
Kills | Mya Ayro – 366, Reilly Zegunis – 315, Taylor Bransfield - 161
Assists | Lauren Yacobucci – 1135, Katie Sowko – 22
Digs | Lauren Yacobucci – 290, Katie Sowko – 273
Blocks | Reilly Zegunis – 87, Haley Robinson – 56, Lauren Yacobucci – 50
Service Aces | Lauren Yacobucci – 51, Katie Sowko - 23
 
Scouting Western Kentucky
The host team Hilltoppers are expected to be one of the top teams in the country this season as they are currently receiving votes in the AVCA national rankings. WKU was also picked to win Conference USA and continue their dominance in the conference as it has won 19 of a possible 22 CUSA titles since joining the league in 2014. In 2024, WKU finished the season with a 28-7 record lost to Minnesota in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Drake is 0-4 in the all-time series against Western Kentucky. Saturday be the first matchup between the two programs since 2023.
 
Returning Western Kentucky Leaders
Kills | Alivia Skidmore – 344, Izzy Van De Wiele – 290, Faith Young - 202
Assists | Callie Bauer – 1387, Abby Schaefer – 62
Digs | Abby Schaefer – 398, Callie Bauer – 300, Callahan Wiegandt – 102
Blocks | Izzy Van De Wiele – 177, Callie Bauer – 57, Faith Young – 49
Service Aces | Callie Bauer – 36, Gabby Weihe – 29, Callahan Wiegandt – 24
 
Up Next 
Drake will head down to the Sunshine State for its second tournament of the season with the 305 Challenge, Sep. 4-6. The Bulldogs will challenge Miami (FL) in their first match on Thursday.