Gabe Oldham Joined Drake Bulldogs Basketball Team

The 21-year-old forward moved to Des Moines to bolster the team's roster for his senior season.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Basketball

Gabe Oldham Joined Drake Bulldogs Basketball Team

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Forward Gabe Oldham transferred to the Drake Bulldogs during the 2026 offseason. The 6-foot-8 player previously competed at Pima Community College and the University of Denver.

Why it matters

Drake head coach Eric Henderson recruited the 21-year-old to improve the team's rebounding performance following a difficult prior season. Oldham committed to the program after a FaceTime call with the coaching staff.

Oldham averaged 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game at Pima Community College during a 35-1 season. Drake finished last season with a 14-20 record and placed ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The players

Gabe Oldham

He is a 21-year-old basketball player who stands 6-foot-8 and transferred to Drake for his senior season.

Eric Henderson

He is the head coach of the Drake Bulldogs basketball program who recruited Oldham via a FaceTime call.

The details

After serving a two-year church mission in California, the 6-foot-8 athlete sought a new collegiate program to pursue a championship. He ultimately chose the Bulldogs after finding the team culture a suitable fit.

Timeline

  1. Oldham completed a two-year church mission in California.

  2. Drake finished with a 14-20 overall record last season.

  3. Coach Eric Henderson held a press conference on October 8, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The addition of a new transfer player to the Drake roster attempts to improve upon their ninth-place finish in the 2025-2026 Missouri Valley Conference standings. This move represents an attempt to reverse the trend of the team's performance established during the previous season.

Drake aims to improve its rebounding metrics and climb out of the ninth-place spot in the Missouri Valley Conference. The arrival of a 6-foot-8 senior forward directly impacts the team's frontcourt rotation and historical win-loss potential.

The takeaway

Oldham brings experience from a highly successful 35-1 season at Pima Community College to the Des Moines program. Fans can look for immediate changes in the team's defensive rebounding statistics when the senior takes the court.

Further reading

For more updates on the roster, visit Basketball.

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