The Basics
Drake men's soccer will be back in action this week with two more non-conference games. The Bulldogs are set for the opener in Wednesday's double-header as Green Bay visits Des Moines (5 p.m.) before welcoming NCAA Division III foe Wartburg College to Mediacom Stadium on Aug. 29.
Bulldog Breakdown
Drake opened their 2026 schedule with a pair of 1-1 draws against Central Arkansas and Creighton. In both games,
Evan Carlson scored first for the Bulldogs, but those leads were not upheld.
Carlson was also recently named MVC Player of the Week after scoring both of Drake's goals in its first two outings. Carlson is now just one goal shy of his single-season career high.
Key Players
Evan Carlson | 4 PTS, 2 G, 3 SH
Malachi Anya | 2 PT, 2 A
Barrett Kitts | 1 PT, A
Tomas Butkovic | 4 SV, 2 GA, .667 SV%
Scouting Green Bay
The Phoenix of Green Bay have also competed twice so far this year with a loss and a Draw in their first two tilts. Green Bay opened with a 2-0 defeat at home vs. Loyola Chicago before tying St. Thomas 1-1 on the road.
Green Bay is led by head coach John O'Reilly in his third season at the helm. O'Reilly is 20-15-5 overall in his three years with the Phoenix.
Drake trails Green Bay 6-4 in the all-time series between the two teams. The Bulldogs won the most recent meeting in 2017 after two straight GB victories. Drake will be seeking to improve upon its 1-3 home record vs. Green Bay.
Key Players
Noah Radeke | 2 PTS, G, 2 SH
Nathan Moua | 1 PT, A
Luke Nicholson | 8 SH
Drew Swancutt | 5 SV, 3 GA, .625 SV%
Scouting Wartburg
The Knights' 2026 regular season has yet to get underway and will not do so until a Sep. 1 visit from Cornell College. Saturday's bout inside Mediacom Stadium will be an official match for the Bulldogs but an exhibition contest on the Knights' record.
Christian Coridon is in his first season as the Knight's head coach after three years as an assistant within the program. Coridon has helped guide Wartburg to back-to-back conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths in 2023 and 2024 and aided the Knights in capturing a share of the regular season league crown for the first time since 2013.
Saturday will be the first ever meeting between Drake and Wartburg.
Key Players (2025 stats)
Flori Gembo | 24 PTS, 10 G, 4 A, 73 SH
Alima Mmunga | 11 PTS, 4 G, 3 A, 33 SH
Lwings Kabula | 7 PTS, 3 G, A, 44 SH
Joseph Svoboda | 24 SV, 9 GA, .727 SV%
Up Next
Drake will remain in Des Moines to finish their four-game homestand with two more contests at Mediacom Stadium. The Bulldogs will host Milwaukee on Sep. 2 to cap another Drake double-header before welcoming Kansas City to DSM on Sep. 7.
