Back to Class: The Past & Present of Drake Men's Basketball

Join fellow alumni and friends and hear from Kris Kesterson, author of the book Coach: Maury John's Journey to the Pinnacle of College Hoops. The session will be facilitated by the voice of the Drake Bulldogs, Michael Admire and include 1969 Final Four team captain Dolph Pulliam and current Drake Men’s Basketball Head Coach, Darian DeVries. 

When: Monday, November 1 at 6:30 pm-7:30 pm CT
Platform: Zoom (Event access instructions will be sent to registrants prior to the event.)
Registration: Free

Kris Kesterson: Kris Kesterson was born and raised in Centerville, Iowa and now lives in Des Moines. He has a finance degree from Iowa State (1987) and an MBA from Drake (1994). Kris does financial services consulting and writes in his spare time. Coach, a biography of former Drake coach Maury John, is his seventh book.

Dolph Pulliam: Dolph was captain of Drake’s 1968-69 NCAA Final Four team and was regarded as one of the best defensive forwards of his time. He totaled 1,007 career points and finished his career ranked fifth among all-time scorers at Drake and still ranks among the top 25 scorers today. In the semifinal contest against UCLA, he recorded 12 points, five rebounds, and six assists before the Bruins managed to just barely squeak past the Bulldogs.

Darian DeVries: Darian DeVries, the 2018-19 and 2020-21 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, is in his third season as the head coach of the Drake men’s basketball program. In his first three seasons, the Bulldogs have won 70 games, to tie for the most of any three-year period in school history and just the second time the program has recorded three-straight 20-win seasons. Of the eight 20-win seasons in program history, three have come under DeVries, including 24 wins in both 2018-19 and 2020-21 to tie for the third-most in program history. In 2020-21 he also tied a school record with 15 MVC wins.

About the Program: Back to Class features speakers from Drake's campus in a virtual setting. Bulldogs are invited to join from wherever they are to learn about unique topics, hear from voices on campus, and connect with the Drake community.

For event accommodations or questions, please contact Courtney Conrad, Assistant Director of Regional Engagement, at courtney.conrad@drake.edu. 

Registration