SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Drury University will have a record number of 502 student-athletes representing the institution in intercollegiate athletics in 2020-21. The total marks the first time Drury has exceeded 500 student-athletes enrolled during an academic year. 
 
"I've very proud of the work our coaches did in bringing in a record number of student-athletes," said Drury Vice President and Director of Athletics Corey Bray. "Our coaches brought in these numbers despite significant recruiting restrictions put in place by the NCAA as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented uncertainty about athletics during this crisis. We also had coaching transitions in women's basketball, women's soccer, men's golf, and our cheer team coaching staff spent a portion of their time for the last eight months guiding and recruiting our dance team roster. All those factors should lead to some inevitable attrition. Instead, because of the dedication and hard work of all of our coaches, Drury Athletics will show growth in their enrollment numbers this year."
 
The growth in student-athletes also comes in a year that the university did not add a sport. Drury will again feature 22 NCAA sports and six non-NCAA sports in 2020-21. Drury Athletics added esports last year, shotgun sports in 2018-19, and wrestling in 2016-17. The university has grown from a nine-sport Athletics Department in 2000-01 to its current numbers today.   
 
In 2020-21, the Panthers will field NCAA teams in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's tennis, wrestling, women's bowling, softball, women's volleyball, and triathlon. Drury's non-NCAA programs include bass fishing, men's bowling, cheer, dance, esports, and shotgun sports. 
 
Drury University announced its early enrollment figures for residential undergraduate students at 1,417 for 2020-21. The data is preliminary and based on opening week headcounts. Final enrollment totals will be available following Drury's official census day later in September. Drury student-athletes make up more than 35 percent of the campus' overall student body. 
 
"Enrollment was critically important to the institution this year," added Bray. "Our group of coaches not only stepped up to the challenge by bringing in roughly 45 percent of this year's incoming class." 
 
Drury recently disclosed a total of 395 first-year students for the 2020-21 academic year. 
 
Drury Athletics will have their first competitions later this month with men's and women's golf along with men's and women's cross country starting their seasons. The NCAA and Great Lakes Valley Conference shifted playing schedules for 2020-21 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  
 
 
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