The Next Chapter

Get to know Coach Henderson and Coach Woodley

Drake recently welcomed two dynamic coaches: Eric Henderson, the new head coach for Drake men’s basketball, and Joe Woodley, the new head coach for Drake football.

Eric Henderson and his family have relocated to Des Moines from South Dakota as Eric prepares to lead the Men’s Basketball team. Eric is a lifelong basketball enthusiast and proud Iowa native. Growing up, he followed all four of Iowa’s Division 1 schools. While he never envisioned himself as the head coach of one, he’s now deeply committed to representing Drake. Eric and his wife, Alicia, have three sons and one daughter.

Q: What drew you to Drake University and the men’s basketball team?

Eric: I was at a good place, but I wanted to continue challenging myself by playing in the Missouri Valley Conference. I also had great admiration for what Darren DeVries accomplished in turning the program around, and then what Ben McCollum did this past year. The excitement, energy, and spirit of Drake basketball are really on the rise, and that was very appealing. Ultimately, it came down to ensuring alignment with the administration and decision-makers, making sure they shared the same vision and process as I did.

Q: How do you plan to build on the recent success of the men’s basketball team?

Eric: To have sustained success, I believe it’s crucial to build your program on character and a strong foundation. We won’t compromise on our standards or the character traits we recruit: honesty, respect, selflessness, communication, and competition. We discuss these five traits daily, and it’s a holistic approach to help our young people learn, grow, and achieve their goals and dreams. We’ll work incredibly hard, have fun, learn from our mistakes, and enjoy the process.

Q: What are your immediate goals for the program this upcoming season?

Eric: Our goal is to surround ourselves with incredible people, and we feel we’ve done that. When putting this team together, it was important to find guys who believed in the process of success and wanted to be Drake Bulldogs. Now, we’re putting in the effort every day and prioritizing connecting as a team. I believe we’ve assembled an extremely talented roster, but talent alone doesn’t win. So, our daily goal is to get more connected.

Q: How will Drake be different from other schools in the Missouri Valley, especially in your style of play?

Eric: Our style is a little different, especially on the offensive end. We’re much more motion-oriented and faster-paced than most teams in the Valley. We’ll try to increase possessions in almost every conference game beyond what most opponents are used to. Defensively, we’re a bit more conservative; we want to stay in a good rebounding position, stay in our gaps, and limit the other team to one shot. Our pace of play will be unique to the Valley.

Joe Woodley comes to Drake after tremendous success as the head football coach at Grand View University in Des Moines. Joe and his wife, Jen, met at Iowa State University, where Joe played linebacker (1999 to 2003) for the Cyclones. They have three daughters: all athletes, of course. Outside of football, Joe and Jen stay busy attending as many of their daughters’ sporting events as they can.

Q: What does it mean for you to lead the Drake football program, especially as someone from central Iowa?

Joe: Leading the Drake football program means a lot. Growing up in central Iowa, Drake always stood out, offering national brand recognition. After a successful run at Grand View University, this unique opportunity felt like the right time to move to Drake and lead this team. There’s a lot of optimism at Drake right now, including in the football program. My brother Matt played basketball here for three years and was an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team, so I’ve been around Drake for a number of years.

Q: What is your vision for Drake football?

Joe: My vision is to continue to build on the success of the football program, both on and off the field. The players come to Drake first and foremost to get a great education and second to play football. We have something special at Drake and in the Pioneer League. This is one of the purest levels of college athletics right now. These players love being here.

Q: What are your top priorities for your first season?

Joe: To build great relationships with the players in the program and then earn trust and loyalty with the guys. We plan to build a lot of trust during camp by spending time together and learning about each other. And we want to maintain the level of success the football program has built in recent years by going after another Pioneer League conference championship and a berth in the FCS playoffs. We want to be the most physical team on the field every game because that really separates winning and losing.

Q: What is your message to Drake alumni?

Joe: Be really proud of where you come from and your Drake education. I’d love for as many people as we can get to come to our home football games and support these guys because they deserve it. They put in a lot of time, a lot of effort, and they’re doing it because they love the game.

Support Drake Athletics by cheering on the Bulldogs at home games. Visit the Drake Athletics website godrakebulldogs.com to find upcoming schedules.

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