- Drake Bulldogs men's soccer
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Drake Bulldogs University Drake University Conference MVC Founded [[{{{founded}}}]] Location Des Moines, IA Head Coach Sean Holmes (12th year) Stadium Coach Cownie Field
(Capacity: 2,000)Nickname Colors Blue and White 
HomeAwayNCAA Tournament Appearances 2008, 2009 Conference Tournament Champions 2009
The Drake Bulldogs men's soccer team represent Drake University in the Missouri Valley Conference of NCAA Division I soccer.[1] The team plays its home matches at Cownie Sports Complex on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa and is currently coached by Swiss-Canadian Sean Holmes.Contents
History
The Drake program began in 1986. Under coach Bob Wood, the Bulldogs would compile a 16-16 record over two seasons as an independent before joining the Big Central Soccer Conference for the 1988 season. After a three-year run in the BCSC saw Drake post a collective 29-25-4 record (8-7-3 in conference), the Bulldogs would join their traditional sporting conference, the Missouri Valley Conference, for the 1991 season.
Upon joining the MVC, the Bulldogs went 6-10-0 (1-2-0) in 1991 season and 6-12-2 (2-2-1) in 1992. The Bulldogs would bounce back to post three consecutive winning seasons for the first time in school history from 1993 to 1995 (including a record-best 4-2-0 mark in 1994 MVC play). During his final seasons, Wood's teams totaled a combined 14-21-1 record in 1996-1997.
For the 1998 season, Drake hired Swiss-born Canadian, 32 year-old Evansville assistant Sean Holmes. In 1998, the Bulldogs earned a 6-11-1 mark. In 1999, Drake went 4-13-1 (1-5-1).
For the 2003 season, the Bulldogs moved from the larger Drake Stadium into the more-intimate off-campus Coach Cownie Stadium, and Holmes began to turn the program around, guiding the Bulldogs to a 4th-place finish in the conference, good enough to host a quarterfinal match in the conference tournament. The 2003 squad achieved the first top 25 ranking in the program's history. The 2004 squad would begin the season ranked for the first time in school history, and the 2005 season saw victories over three ranked opponents, including a win over then-sixteenth-ranked Creighton for the first time in school history[2].
In 2008, Holmes' Drake squad had a breakout season. Drake would win a school-record 13 matches (against 5 losses and 1 draw) and earned a NCAA Tournament berth for the first time. Drawn into the Queens, New York region of the bracket, the Bulldogs would battle hard at Saint Louis before falling on a goal just 4.1 seconds away from penalty kicks.[3]
The 2009 season saw Holmes' team take the program to new heights. Hosting the Missouri Valley Conference tournament after finishing second in the regular season, the Bulldogs edged third-seeded Creighton, 2-1, before defeating fourth-seeded Evansville, 2-1, to win the school's first-ever conference tournament title[4] and clinching their second consecutive College Cup appearance. In the tournament, the Bulldogs would earn their first-ever NCAA victory with a 2-1 win over Western Illinois[5] and then stunned fourth-seeded Ohio State 1-0 to advance to the Sweet 16[6] In the Sweet 16, after falling behind 2-0, the Bulldogs rallied to a stunning 6-4 win at Boston College[7] before falling in a 2-1 heartbreaker to #5 North Carolina in the national quarterfinals[8].
All-Time Record
Year Head Coach Overall Conference NCAA Tournament 1986 Bob Wood 5-10-0 - - 1987 11-6-0 - - Big Central Soccer Conference (1988–1990) 1988 Bob Wood 10-7-4 2-2-0 - 1989 9-10-0 2-4-0 - 1990 10-8-4 4-3-1 - Missouri Valley Conference (1991–present) 1991 Bob Wood 6-10-0 1-2-0 - 1992 6-12-2 2-2-1 - 1993 11-5-1 1-3-1 - 1994 9-8-0 4-2-0 - 1995 8-5-3 1-3-1 - 1996 6-11-0 2-3-0 - 1997 8-10-1 2-4-1 - 1998 Sean Holmes. 6-11-1 1-5-1 - 1999 4-13-1 1-5-1 - 2000 7-12-0 4-7-0 - 2001 6-10-1 1-8-0 - 2002 9-2-2 5-2-2 - 2003 10-6-3 4-3-2 - 2004 8-9-1 4-4-1 - 2005 9-9-2 4-2-1 - 2006 6-7-6 2-3-2 - 2007 9-6-4 2-2-2 - 2008 13-5-1 4-1-0 1st Round 2009 16-7-2 6-3-1 Quarterfinals 2010 8-8-2 4-2-1 - Notable former players
The players in bold have senior international caps.
Ezra Hendrickson was a three-time winner of the MLS Cup (2002, 2004, 2008) who featured for six different Major League Soccer clubs and 123 international appearances with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[9]
Matt Nickell made seven appearances with D.C. United from 2005-06[10]- Kirk Wilson played for the Dallas Burn from 1999–2000 and the Impact de Montreal in 2006[10]
- Corey Farabi was a 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft choice of the Kansas City Wizards and made several reserve appearances with the club[10]
References
- ^ "2009 Drake Men's Soccer Yearbook." godrakebulldogs.com. Retrieved on November 23, 2009.
- ^ "Baker's Hat Trick Gives Men's Soccer First Win Over Creighton." godrakebulldogs.com. Retrieved on November 23, 2009.
- ^ "Last Second Goal Ends Men's Soccer Season ." godrakebulldogs.com. Retrieved on November 23, 2009.
- ^ "Drake bests Evansville for MVC title." timesdelphic.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2009.
- ^ "Drake men beat Western Illinois in NCAA 1st round." topdrawersoccer.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2009.
- ^ "Ohio State Ends Season with Overtime Loss to Drake, 1-0, in NCAA Second Round." ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2009.
- ^ "Drake Takes Down Boston College In 6-4 Barnburner." ncaa.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2009.
- ^ "Drake's men's soccer NCAA run ends with loss to North Carolina." dmregister.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2009.
- ^ "Former Drake Soccer Player Earns Third Career MLS Championship." godrakebulldogs.com. Retrieved on November 23, 2009.
- ^ a b c "MenaceAlumni" menacesoccer.com. Retrieved on November 23, 2009.
Categories:- Drake Bulldogs
- College men's soccer teams in the United States
- Iowa soccer clubs
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