The Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team, hailing from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, competes in NCAA Division I basketball under the guidance of head coach Ben McCollum. Known for their historic 1969 Final Four appearance, the Bulldogs have a rich legacy dating back to 1906. The previous head coach, Damian DeVries, who was appointed in 2018, revitalized the team with a championship win in his debut season. The most notable achievements include back-to-back 20-win seasons and a thrilling return to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 after a 13-year absence.
Drake men's basketball head coach 2025
Head Coach: Ben McCollum
Ben McCollum was announced as the new head coach for the Drake Bulldogs on April 1, 2024. The Iowa native spent more than half a decade coaching at Northwest Missouri State University. He has won four national championships in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022 and compiled a career record of 395-91 in 15 years as the Bearcats head coach. Under his leadership, Northwestern has won 25 or more games in 12 straight seasons and was himself named the conference’s coach of the year nine times.
Ben McCollum's age
Ben McCollum, born on April 12, 1981, is 43 years old, as of February 2025.
Drake's basketball head coaches year-by-year
In its 116-season history, the Drake Bulldogs men's basketball program has been guided by a total of 31 head coaches.
| Coach | Tenure |
| Charles Pell | 1907–1909 |
| John Griffith | 1910–1914 |
| A.R. Hackett | 1911–1912 |
| Ray Whisman | 1915–1916 |
| Ralph Glaze | 1917–1917 |
| S.W. Hobbs | 1918–1918 |
| Mark Banks | 1919–1921 |
| Ossie Solem | 1922–1925 |
| Bill Boelter | 1926–1932 |
| Evan O. Williams | 1933–1943 |
| Bill Easton | 1944–1944 |
| Vee Green | 1945–1946 |
| Forddy Anderson | 1947–1948 |
| Jack McClelland | 1948–1958 |
| John Benington | 1957–1958 |
| Maury John | 1959–1971 |
| Howard Stacey | 1972–1974 |
| Bob Ortegel | 1975–1981 |
| Gary Garner | 1982–1988 |
| Tom Abatemarco | 1989–1990 |
| Eddie Fields | 1990–1990 |
| Rudy Washington | 1991–1996 |
| Kurt Kanaskie | 1997–2003 |
| Tom Davis | 2004–2007 |
| Keno Davis | 2008–2008 |
| Mark Phelps | 2009–2013 |
| Ray Giacoletti | 2014–2017 |
| Jeff Rutter | 2017–2017 |
| Niko Medved | 2018–2018 |
| Darian DeVries | 2018–2024 |
| Ben McCollum | 2024–present |
Drake men's basketball coaching staff 2025
| Title | Name |
| Head Coach | Ben McCollum |
| Assistant Coach | Josh Sash |
| Assistant Coach | Bryston Williams |
| Assistant Coach | Connor Wheeler |
| Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator | Jesse Shaw |
| Assistant Coach - Director of Player Development | Xavier Kurth |
| Assistant to the Head Coach | Jaran Richman |
Assistant coach
Josh Sash
Josh Sash who spent one year as the head coach at Indian Hills returned to his alma mater this summer. He led the Warriors to a 29-6 record during the 2023-24 campaign and an appearance in the NJCAA national tournament. Sash made several other stops in coaching including three years as an assistant at North Dakota State, as per Drake Bulldogs' official website.
Bryston Williams
Bryston Williams joined the Drake Bulldogs coaching staff this summer, bringing a wealth of experience from the Missouri Valley Conference and the NBA. He spent the last season at Wyoming and also spent three seasons as an assistant for the Detroit Pistons.
Connor Wheeler
Wheeler joined McCollum's coaching staff at Des Moines in 2024, after serving the last two years as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State.
Drake men's basketball support staff 2025
| Title | Name |
| Graduate Manager | Sam Hawley |
| Graduate Assistant | Trey Shannon |
FAQ's On Drake basketball coach
A. Ben McCollum is the head coach of Drake Bulldogs Men's Basketball.
A. Darian DeVries held his head coaching role from 2018 to 2024.
A. Ben McCollums has coached for 15 seasons at Northwest Missouri State.
A. Josh Sash, Bryston Williams, and Connor Wheeler serve as assistant coaches for Drake Bulldogs Men's Basketball in the 2024/25 season.
A. Drake University competes in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) for basketball.
