Drake basketball's Allison Pohlman on Taylor McAulay's return, Iowa, Iowa State games
Drake women’s basketball coach Allison Pohlman spoke with confidence Monday during her team’s media day ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, and her optimism is not misplaced.
The Bulldogs were ranked third in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll and received six first-place votes, one less than second-place Illinois State. Newcomer Belmont received 32 first-place votes.
“I think one of the great things when you think about our team, we return four starters," Pohlman said. "Four starters from a team that found themselves in postseason play and found a way to really get it done in postseason.
“We were able to win a couple games. I think that experience really sparked the hunger of this group and seeing what they were able to do.”
Drake is the only Missouri Valley team with multiple student-athletes on the preseason all-conference team, with Megan Meyer and Grace Berg making the cut. But Meyer and Berg aren’t the only players returning to the Knapp Center this fall. Maggie Bair and Katie Dinnebier both started 32 games last season. Anna Miller, Courtney Becker and Sarah Beth Gueldner also saw a lot of playing time.
The Bulldogs (20-14, 9-9 MVC in Pohlman's first year as head coach) added two freshmen to the roster as well − Ava Hawthorne from Gilbert and Taedyn Gray from Lenexa, Kan.
Off to a strong start
Pohlman and the Bulldogs will not face an easy schedule. Drake plays No. 4 Iowa and No. 22 Nebraska – both at the Knapp Center – in the second and third games of the season. Before the end of the calendar year, the Bulldogs also must get through No. 8 Iowa State and No. 21 Creighton.
It won’t be an easy task for Drake, but it’s a set of nonconference games that Pohlman knows will make her squad better.
“I think what we’re gonna get out of that is really just a guage,” Pohlman said. “Where does this team stand? How competitive are we? What are we willing to do to be able to put the ball in the hole or get that extra stuff that we need when we need to get it?”
An injury update, or lack thereof
Drake men’s basketball has several players working through injuries just weeks before the start of the new season. That is not the case for the school's women’s basketball program.
When asked if the Bulldogs were dealing with any injuries heading into the schedule, Pohlman’s only update was that there were “none,” before knocking on the podium.
More good news: Drake will have 5-foot-11 guard Taylor McAulay back after she missed all of last year with an injury.
“One of the other people that we’ve added back … and people haven’t talked about her in a year because she’s been injured, is Taylor McCauley, who’s done a really phenomenal job of stepping back into this group,” Pohlman said.
“It’s not going to take you long to recognize which one she is, because she’s had a phenomenal fall. Really excited for us to be able to showcase her talents.”
How the schedule tips off
Drake opens the 2022-23 campaign with a Sunday exhibition against Northwest Missouri State. The regular-season opener is Nov. 7 vs. Green Bay. Then Iowa at home (Nov. 13) and Nebraska at home (Nov. 19). Then Massachusetts and an opponent to be determined at a Thanksgiving tournament in Florida. Then five more non-conference games in December before the Valley opener Dec. 30 at Illinois State.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Drake women's basketball coach talks Iowa, Iowa State games
