Chicago native Richard Drake enters his fourth season as an assistant coach for the Ramblers, where he is in charge of goalkeeper training in addition to handling all recruiting efforts. Under Drake's guidance, the LU defense has been one key to Loyola's run to consecutive Horizon League titles, posting 19 clean sheets over the last two seasons, including a school-record 11 last year. Anchoring the LU defense last season was then-freshman Colleen Dougherty, who was recognized as a member of the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team.

In 2003, Drake was an assistant coach at DePaul, where he helped the Blue Demons post a program-best 14-7-2 record, their first-ever Conference USA Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to his stay at DePaul, Drake served as an assistant coach for two seasons at Marshall University and helped guide the Thundering Herd to a Mid-American Conference Tournament berth with a program-best 11-7-1 record in 2001. He also worked as an assistant coach for three seasons at the University of Minnesota, helping the Golden Gophers advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1998 and '99. Drake started his women's coaching career as an assistant coach for the University of Cincinnati's 1997 C-USA championship team that earned an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.

Drake holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "A" coaching license and referee license, a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Youth Diploma and a NSCAA Advanced National Goalkeeping Diploma. Before starting his coaching career, Drake played professionally for the Rockford Raptors of the United Soccer League.

A 1996 graduate of Aurora University, Drake earned a bachelor's degree in history and secondary education. He is currently completing requirements for his master's degree in curriculum studies at DePaul.