The Basics
Drake men's tennis will return to the Roger Knapp Tennis Center this weekend for a pair of home matches as the Bulldogs host Marquette on Friday, January 30, before welcoming Creighton on Sunday, February 1. Drake will look to secure its first win of the 2026 spring season after opening the year with a couple of hard-fought road losses last weekend.
Bulldog Breakdown
Drake enters the weekend with an 0-2 record following losses to Memphis and Nebraska. The Bulldogs opened the season with a competitive 5-2 setback against Memphis, highlighted by freshman Sam Melaga earning his first collegiate singles victory and Alan Gonzalez picking up a three-set win at the No. 3 position. Drake followed that performance with a 4-0 loss at Nebraska, a nationally strong program that captured the doubles point and three singles wins to clinch the match.
Despite the early results, Drake has shown flashes of promise across the lineup and will look to build consistency as it opens its home schedule. The Bulldogs will aim to use home-court advantage and the experience gained from two road tests to turn momentum in their favor.
Scouting Marquette
Marquette enters the weekend 0-2 on the season. The Golden Eagles opened their spring slate with a 7-0 loss to North Dakota on January 16, followed by a narrow 4-3 loss to Montana State on January 17.
In their most recent match, Marquette earned singles victories from Blake Roegner, Clayton Anderson, and Remi St. Laurent. Roegner rallied for a three-set win after dropping the first set in a tiebreak, Anderson captured a three-set victory, and St. Laurent posted a straight-set win. Despite those performances, Montana State claimed the doubles point and won three singles matches in the lower half of the lineup to secure the team victory.
Friday's matchup will feature two teams searching for their first win of the season, setting the stage for a tightly contested battle.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton will face Drake as part of its opening weekend of the spring season. The Bluejays are scheduled to begin the spring at home against Air Force on January 30 before traveling to face Gustavus Adolphus and Drake on February 1.
Creighton is led by head coach Gerhard Posch, who enters his third season guiding the Bluejays. Posch led Creighton to a 16-11 overall record last season, continuing to build momentum for the program after a successful first year at the helm. Under his leadership, Creighton has produced nationally recognized doubles teams and All-BIG EAST performers, while emphasizing both on-court development and academic excellence.
Last season, the Bluejays also advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament, gaining valuable postseason experience as they look to take another step forward in 2026.
Up Next
Following the weekend homestand, the Bulldogs will hit the road to take on Southern Indiana on Friday, Feb. 6 at 12:30 p.m. CT in Evansville, Ind., as Drake continues nonconference play in the early portion of the 2026 spring slate.
