The much-anticipated 2025 season here! Following tremendous campaigns in 2024, both Drake women’s and men’s teams were selected the preseason favorite by the other Missouri Valley Conference head coaches! This marks the first time in school history both soccer teams were picked to win the MVC in the same season. The momentum surrounding Drake Soccer has never been stronger.
Drake Athletics is also thrilled to celebrate the impact Mediacom Stadium has had on our programs over the past two years. It has quickly established itself as one of the premier soccer venues in the Missouri Valley Conference—and a true home for our Bulldogs.
Yet, one vital piece remains unfinished.
The Bulldogs have launched the
Ernst Challenge to complete the final phase of Mediacom Stadium: dedicated Drake locker rooms, coaches’ offices, athletic training space, and team meeting room. This sports performance center will allow Drake soccer to move the programs fully from the historic Drake Fieldhouse and into a modern, sport-specific home located in the northwest corner of Mediacom Stadium.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of
Mark Ernst, former Chair of the Drake University Board of Trustees and current Board member, Drake is proud to announce a
$500,000 matching gift challenge. All donations toward the project will be matched three-to-one, up to $500,000, through
Dec. 31, 2025. That means a $1,000 gift becomes $4,000 for Drake Soccer.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity—and we’re asking
you, our loyal soccer community, to help us get the ball into the back of the net. The athletic department has an aggressive fundraising timeline as our goal is to receive enough commitments of pledged giving to enable us to begin work in early 2026 with completion prior to the start of next season.
While many of you already support Drake Soccer annually, this campaign is a special, one-time request: a capital gift to directly impact the daily lives of our student-athletes and to continue elevating the facilities Drake offers. It’s also the
first-ever capital campaign specifically for Drake Soccer.
With your help, the Bulldogs can build a space that shows our current players how deeply they’re valued—and helps the teams recruit the next generation of Bulldogs who will carry the two programs forward.
Our fundraising goal is $500,000, and Drake invites you to be a part of this transformational effort. Every contribution matters.
Donor Recognition
All donors giving $500 or more will be honored on a permanent Donor Wall in the new Drake Soccer Team Room:
Hall of Fame – $10,000+
All-American – $5,000
All-Region – $2,500
All-Conference – $1,000
Varsity – $500
Naming Opportunities
Leave a lasting legacy by naming a space within the new facility:
New Drake Soccer Building – $1,000,000 (includes exterior signage)
Locker Rooms – $250,000 each
Team Meeting/Training Rooms – $100,000 each
Coaches’ Offices – $50,000 each
Individual Lockers – $5,000 each
All gifts of $10,000 or more will also be recognized as contributors to the larger Mediacom Stadium campaign. All contributions are fully tax-deductible and can be made as a one-time gift, multi-year pledge, or stock donation. Multi-year pledges can be initiated by Dec. 31, 2025, and fulfilled over two to five years.
How to Give
You can make your gift online at:
👉
https://alumni.drake.edu/sportsperformancebuilding
To give by mail:
Drake Athletics
ATTN: Tim Tesar – Drake Soccer, Sports Performance Building
2507 University Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311
For pledge forms or stock gifts, please contact:
Tim Tesar, Senior Associate AD
📧
tim.tesar@drake.edu | 📞 515-271-2132
