D1Missouri Valley
Competitive

Drake Softball

Drake University · Bulldogs

Missouri Valley · Des Moines, IA

Solid ProgramGrads earn $72K/yr

$52K

In-state tuition

Up to 25

Scholarships

allowed under 2025 roster-limit rules (funding varies by program)

74%

Graduation rate

Room & board: $12K

Tuition and graduation rate: College Scorecard, released June 10, 2026. Room and board: IPEDS 2023-2024.

Drake softball at a glance

Where the program sits and what a year here costs. How athletic aid works in D1.

Conference level
High Major
Est. year, all in
$63,988Tuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.
Debt as a share of year-10 pay
32%Median debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.
Total enrollment
4,504

Cost, debt and enrollment: IPEDS 2023-2024 and College Scorecard (released June 10, 2026). Conference level: CommitBound.

Program Info

Division
D1
Conference
Missouri Valley
Location
Des Moines, IA
Scholarships
Up to 25 (2025 roster rules)

Coaching Staff

Lindsay Diehl

Head Coach

l•••@drake.edu

Verified against the school's athletics site

Jenn Marshall

Assistant Coach

j•••@drake.edu

Tatum Aragon Bulthuis

Assistant Coach

t•••@drake.edu
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Camps & Clinics

Youth Camp

Junior Bulldogs Camp

Date
12/05/2026
Cost
$75 - $170 + fees
Age Group
3rd Grade - 7th Grade

For younger players, roughly 8th grade and under — development, not recruiting.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Dec 5–Dec 6. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Prospect / ID Camp

Winter Prospect Camp I

Date
12/06/2026
Cost
$80 - $200 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - College Sophomore

Run by the program's staff to see and evaluate players — the kind of camp that matters for recruiting.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Dec 6–Dec 7. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Skills Clinic

Drake Bulldogs Pitching and Catching Clinic I

Date
01/06/2027
Cost
$60 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - 12th Grade

Instruction in a skill, often a weekly series — training, not an evaluation.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Jan 6–Jan 7. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Prospect / ID Camp

Winter Prospect Camp II

Date
01/09/2027
Cost
$80 - $200 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - College Sophomore

Run by the program's staff to see and evaluate players — the kind of camp that matters for recruiting.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Jan 9–Jan 10. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Skills Clinic

Drake Bulldogs Pitching and Catching Clinic II

Date
01/13/2027
Cost
$60 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - 12th Grade

Instruction in a skill, often a weekly series — training, not an evaluation.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Jan 13–Jan 14. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Skills Clinic

Drake Bulldogs Pitching and Catching Clinic III

Date
01/20/2027
Cost
$60 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - 12th Grade

Instruction in a skill, often a weekly series — training, not an evaluation.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Jan 20–Jan 21. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Prospect / ID Camp

Winter Prospect Camp III

Date
01/30/2027
Cost
$80 - $200 + fees
Age Group
8th Grade - College Sophomore

Run by the program's staff to see and evaluate players — the kind of camp that matters for recruiting.

Register at official site

Travelling in? 1 night in Des Moines, IA, Jan 30–Jan 31. Check hotel prices →

From Ryzer, checked . Confirm dates and cost on the registration page before you travel.

Camp Tips for Recruits

  • After any camp, follow up with an email to every coach you interacted with within 48 hours.
  • Your club coach is your best resource for identifying which events are worth your money and time.
  • Register early — the best camps fill up months in advance.

What Drake Coaches Look For

Recruiting benchmarks for Mid-Major programs. Min = on the radar, Competitive = solidly in the pool, Elite = stands out.

Pitching Velocity
61 mphMin
64 mphCompetitive
68 mphElite
Exit Velocity (Tee)
69 mphMin
72 mphCompetitive
76 mphElite
Home to 1st (RH)
3 secMin
2.8 secCompetitive
2.7 secElite
Overhand Throw (IF)
63 mphMin
68 mphCompetitive
72 mphElite
Pop Time (2B)
1.95 secMin
1.85 secCompetitive
1.75 secElite
GPA
3.3Min
3.5Competitive
3.8Elite

See how your metrics compare to Drake's standards.

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Benchmarks compiled from recruiting services. Individual programs may have different expectations based on roster needs.

Quick Fit Check

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Grade:

Recruiting Timeline

D1 contact rules for Drake. Select your graduation year to see personalized deadlines.

Class of 2028 — currently a Junior

When Coaches Can Contact You

1 p.m. Central on September 1 of junior year — coaches can call, text, email, and DM on social media

Campus Visits

Official and unofficial visits are allowed from 1 p.m. Central on September 1 of junior year, but a dead period usually covers the first days of September (August 28–September 3 in 2026-27), so visits start once it ends. Walking a campus on your own is allowed anytime.

Offers & Commitments

No recruiting conversations, so no verbal offers, before 1 p.m. Central on September 1 of junior year; verbal offers are not binding. A school can't put an aid offer in writing until August 1 of senior year. Softball has one signing date (the second Wednesday of November of senior year) and no separate spring period; each school sets its own final deadline. (The written offer of athletics aid replaced the NLI in October 2024.)

Key Dates

  • 1 p.m. Central, September 1 of junior year — calls, texts, emails and DMs open; visits follow after the early-September dead period
  • August 1 of senior year — a school may put an aid offer in writing
  • Second Wednesday of November, senior year — signing opens (no spring period)

Updated for 2026-27 NCAA rules

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Drake softball roster outlook

Drake carries 23 players on its 2026-2027 roster. 4 seniors and graduate students leave after this season, the most at pitchers (2).

Softball field showing players leaving and returning by positionPositions losing players are shaded darker. The numbers for each position are in the list that follows.
  • Pitchers: 2 leaving, 6 returning.
  • Infielders: 1 leaving, 4 returning.
  • Outfielders: 0 leaving, 2 returning.
  • Utility: 1 leaving, 7 returning.
See as a table
Drake 2026-2027 roster by position: players leaving after this season and returning
PositionLeavingReturning
Pitchers26
Infielders14
Outfielders02
Utility17

From the program's published 2026-2027 roster. “Leaving” counts seniors and graduate students; juniors who transfer or leave early are not included, and players with remaining eligibility can return.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get recruited by Drake University softball?

Start by filling out the Drake University recruiting questionnaire, then email the coaching staff directly. Attend camps and showcases where Drake University coaches are present. CommitBound can help you track your outreach and build recruiting habits.

Does Drake University offer softball scholarships?

Drake University is a D1 program. Up to 25 scholarships are allowed under the 2025 roster-limit rules, though funding varies by program.

When are Drake University softball camps?

Drake University has 7 camps listed. Check the camps section above for dates, costs, and registration links.

Who is the head coach at Drake University?

The current head coach is Lindsay Diehl. Verified coach email access is available with a free CommitBound account.

Follow Drake Softball

Location

Recruiting Difficulty

Competitive

This is a competitive D1 program. Strong travel ball and academic credentials are expected. Start reaching out to coaches early.

Graduate Outcomes

Median earnings (10yr)
$71,901/yr
Median earnings (6yr)
$58,233/yr
Median student debt
$23,000
Admission rate
64%

Consider ROI — 10-year median earnings vs. four years of published tuition

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Academic Profile

Avg. net price
$29,127/yr
Students on Pell Grant
22%
SAT range (EBRW + Math)
1110–1350
ACT range
24–29

Avg. net price is the actual average cost after aid — not sticker tuition. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released June 10, 2026.

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More D1 Programs in IA

Quick Facts

Division
D1
Conference
Missouri Valley
State
IA
Camps Listed
7

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