Building a Team and

Shaping a Legacy

While the NCAA and Title IX presented a new option for women’s athletics, it meant incredible change for female athletics that, for a decade, had been governed by women.

Ward said as a female player, you were part of a world where it felt like many were working against you instead of with you. “They tried to do a lot of things to get female athletes to go home,” she said.

“We had nothing. Really, nothing,” Baumgarten said. “The practice court was so small that the top of the circle on each end intersected with the mid-court circle,” she laughed. “We had to flip cards for both the time and 30-second clock.”

“The players were just so dedicated,” Baumgarten said. “They really wanted the program.”

Ward and her teammates showed that want by working to help the team not only perform in a professional way, but look and feel professional. Ward was the behind-the-scenes force, designing the team’s first uniforms, organizing game day logistics, and even creating and hand-running game programs on purple mimeographs.

Determination led to success, and success led to growth. “When we started winning 20 games a season and were involved in all the tournaments, Drake felt like they needed to pony up a little bit,” Baumgarten explained. “But it took a while. Women’s sports were really popular in high school, but brand new at the collegiate level. It was a real struggle to get money and scholarships.”

One of the first players to receive a scholarship was Jody Bussing. A year after Bussing joined the team, the coaching staff worked to recruit a post player—and they had their eyes on Sharon Upshaw, a player from Detroit.

Baumgarten said Bussing’s selflessness made that recruitment goal a possibility. “Jody gave up her scholarship so we could get Sharon. She made a big difference—a big player and a strong athlete.”

Looking back, Ward and Coach Baumgarten are both proud of what they accomplished. “We weren’t the best around, but we wanted to be part of what was going on in women’s sports,” Baumgarten said. “I loved Drake, and I’ll tell you what—the women from Iowa can shoot the ball.”

Meg Galliano, LA’76, a member of that first women’s team, shared these memories. “We had a fun group of women, and everything was done on a shoestring budget for sure. We all had to be quite dedicated to the sport, and we were! The best memories were making friends with an eclectic group of people. Many of us played two sports–basketball and softball. What an honor to be on the first team at Drake!”

Today, as women’s basketball continues to thrive, Coach Baumgarten and Ward see the fruits of their labor in players like Caitlin Clark, a standout star who has captured the nation’s attention. “Caitlin Clark comes from years and years of women’s basketball,” Baumgarten beamed. “She has done more for basketball than any other single person. For those of us who pushed and fought all the way, Caitlin Clark is the shining star for everybody.”

Coach Baumgarten and Ward have been cultivating stardust for many decades now. After earning her education degree in 1977, and later, a master’s degree from Drake in 1997, Ward has dedicated her life to teaching and coaching. She spent 46 years as a teacher. Thirty-seven of those years were spent in Newton, Iowa, where she started the girls’ high school volleyball program and coached eighth grade girls’ basketball. Ward retired from teaching in May 2024.

“I think the biggest thing Coach Baumgarten instilled in me was you don’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” Ward said. “If she was told ‘no’ to something, she’d find a way around it. That’s what I took away, in my coaching, and even in my teaching.”

That determination led to Coach Baumgarten earning the title as the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in Drake’s history, posting a 257-94 record from 1974-86. She led Drake to three NCAA Tournament appearances, five appearances in the WNIT, and was honored for her leadership with an induction into the Missouri Valley Conference Athletics Hall of Fame. But that was merely “halftime” in a storied career. Baumgarten went on to become the head coach of the first U.S. women’s basketball team to ever beat Russia in the Soviet Union, and earned a lifetime service award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Pioneering player, Ward, looks back on the legacy these women created with immense pride. “I wouldn’t trade any of it. When I walk into the Knapp Center, I go, ‘Yes, I helped build this!’” Her love for Drake and its sports programs has never waned. “Drake is my family. My sister, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother all went to Drake. It’s a part of my life.”

As the Drake Bulldogs women’s basketball team gears up for the 2024 season, Suzie Glazer Burt Head Women’s Basketball Coach Allison Pohlman’s excitement is evident—not just for the games, but for a historic moment in women’s sports at Drake University. This season marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX at Drake, a milestone that was celebrated in historic fashion—with a rematch against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes—the same team Drake faced in their first-ever women’s basketball game back in 1974.

“It’s really exciting for everyone, alums especially, to know and fully understand how far we’ve come,” Coach Pohlman said. “It’s amazing to be celebrating 50 years of women’s sports.”

There were nods to history throughout the evening, including throwback uniforms and special appearances from past players and coaches, making it a nostalgic trip down memory lane while showcasing the evolution of the program.

For Coach Pohlman, who’s been with Drake since 2007 and took over as head coach in 2021, this season carries special meaning. “I’m a small-town Iowa girl who played collegiate basketball in this state, and I’ve never left,” she said. “Watching the game grow and the popularity of women’s sports increase has been an incredible experience. There are a lot of people watching women’s sports, and we have a fantastic product right here at Drake, with amazing stories of women who not only excel on the court, but also in their professional lives.”

Coach Pohlman’s coaching style focuses on encouraging a deep love for the game and a strong sense of community among her players. “Our team is more than just a group of athletes; we’re a family,” she noted. “We want to radiate our love for the sport and for Drake, and when you watch us on the floor, you can see how much our players genuinely enjoy the game. That passion can carry you far—whether it’s winning championships or succeeding in life after basketball.”

This year, the Bulldogs are returning nine players, including standout seniors and household names like Katie Dinnebier and Anna Miller.

“It’s a lot of the same faces, but with a fresh perspective,” Coach Pohlman said. “Our team’s consistency and loyalty to the program are something special, and we’re excited to see how this chapter unfolds.”

As the Bulldogs prepare for their big matchup against the Hawkeyes and for the rest of the season, Coach Pohlman is focused on empowering her players, both on and off the court. “It’s about continuing to learn, supporting each other, and loving the game. That’s what connects us all,” she emphasized. “Whether we’re hanging banners or stepping into professional careers, that love and unity are what makes our program special.”