Megan Meyer wants to prove Drake women's basketball can hang with the best

When Megan Meyer transferred from Iowa to Drake, there was no guarantee that she would earn a starting spot.

Meyer joined the women's basketball program as the Bulldogs transitioned to coach Allison Pohlman’s new system. Drake returned two graduate students last season and Meyer came in with six other newcomers, all of whom hoped to solidify a starting role.

The Mason City native not only earned her spot as a starter but was frequently the best player on the floor for the Bulldogs.

Meyer was the only Drake player to start all 34 contests, averaging 25.9 minutes and 12.1 points. She helped the Bulldogs to a 20-14 record and a berth in the WNIT. Her performance last season earned her MVC Newcomer of the Year honors.

And now Meyer will face a more daunting task: stepping up her game even more.

“It’s just one of those things, you know,” Meyer said. “You always can build on your game. So just continuing to get in the gym, get shots up, work on different aspects of my game.

“A lot of people probably would look at me as someone who’s offensively minded, but just trying to step up my defense and bring other things to the table.”

That shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for a player who Pohlman describes as having a high basketball IQ. Pohlman also knows that, based on how Meyer adjusted to a new system last season, the senior guard could be even better this year.

“One of the things that we’ve been able to see with her playing, really over the summer and really transitioning now, that it’s not brand new,” Pohlman said. “She’s doing things even more so now that she wasn’t doing last year and so she’s had just a wonderful, wonderful start to the year.”

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Drake will need strong performances from Meyer this season, and the intensity starts quickly in November and December. The Bulldogs' non-conference schedule features four top-25 teams, including Meyer’s former team, the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes, in the second game.

She knew that transferring to Drake would involve facing her former team, and it’s a challenge she is looking forward to this season. Meyer described the Hawkeyes as a talented, well-coached team, and she still has a lot of her best friends on the roster.

But more than a year removed from the program, Meyer’s focus is on the Bulldogs and proving that Drake can hang with the best competition not only in the state but in all of women’s college basketball. She and her teammates get to do that in the Knapp Center in a few weeks’ time.

So, does she think that Drake can compete against the best of the best? It’s an easy yes for Meyer, especially with the pieces falling in place for the Bulldogs. The team spent the summer playing in Italy, picking up valuable game experience when most teams are limited to intrasquad scrimmages.

“I definitely noticed a huge difference with our team chemistry after the summer,” Meyer said. “Last year we have five freshmen and then I was new, so six new people on the team, and it’s just kind of hard to figure out everybody’s personality.

“We’ve just grown really close together; we can almost read each other’s minds on the court. That’s definitely gonna benefit us with our tough non-conference schedule, and then transitioning in the conference.”

Drake also returns four starters and a group of freshmen with a year of college ball under their belts. Pohlman will again rely heavily on Meyer’s game to lead the Bulldogs to another successful season. The Bulldogs coach is ready for Drake fans to see what Meyer can do this year.

“I think you’re gonna see layers of her game continue to come out, both on the offensive end and on the defensive end,” Pohlman said. “She’s been a highlight of an addition for us.”

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Meyer has been a part of two of the four Division I women’s basketball programs in Iowa. This year, two of those teams are ranked in the top 10, and Drake is among the favorites in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Women’s basketball is alive and well in the state. And Meyer is happy to be a part of it.

“I think women’s basketball is just a growing sport,” Meyer said. “I think people just need to get out and see how fundamental the game is, how much we bring to the table, how much we like to be involved in the community.”

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 basketball guard Megan Meyer looks ahead to senior season