Derek Dodson
Personal information
Full name Derek Dodson
Date of birth (1998-11-03) November 3, 1998
Place of birth Naperville, Illinois, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Wing-back, Forward
Team information
Current team
 Minnesota United
Youth career
2012–2016 Sockers FC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Georgetown Hoyas 72 (32)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 North County United 6 (2)
2021 Orlando City 0 (0)
2021 → Hartford Athletic (loan) 22 (5)
2022 Memphis 901 28 (3)
2023 Charleston Battery 34 (2)
2024– Minnesota United 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of January 15, 2024

Derek Dodson (born November 3, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a wing-back for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United FC.

Early years

Dodson was born in Naperville, Illinois. Growing up he was a three-year starter and one-year captain during his five seasons with the Sockers FC academy.[1] The club qualified for the playoffs in all five years and Dodson was named to the 2017 USSDA Central Conference Best XI.[2]

Georgetown Hoyas

Dodson played college soccer at Georgetown University, scoring 32 goals in 72 appearances for the Georgetown Hoyas between 2017 and 2021.[1]

He appeared in all 20 games as a freshman but was limited to seven starts. Despite this he led the Hoyas in scoring with 10 goals, including three game-winners, and was named Big East Freshman of the Year.[3]

Having secured a starting role as a sophomore, Dodson was a two-time First Team All-Big East selection in 2018 and 2019[1] and also earned United Soccer Coaches All-America third team honors in 2019.[4] During Georgetown's College Cup winning season in 2019, Dodson scored a career-high 11 goals as Georgetown won all three competitions they played in: defending the Big East regular season title, winning a third consecutive Big East tournament, and claiming the first National Championship in program history.[5] Dodson scored an 81st minute go-ahead goal in the final before fellow future Orlando City draftee Daryl Dike equalized five minutes later to take the game into overtime with the scores level at 3–3. Georgetown ultimately won in a penalty shoot-out.[6]

After the postponement of the 2020 fall season until spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[7] Dodson elected to return as a senior despite having been drafted by Orlando City in January 2021. He made a further sevens appearances for the Hoyas until his departure for Orlando in April having helped the team top the conference spring series standings.[8] He was named to the Big East All-Conference first team at the end of regular season awards.[9]

While at college, Dodson appeared for Premier Development League side North County United in 2018, scoring two goals in six appearances.[10]

Club career

Orlando City

On January 21, 2021, Dodson was selected in the first round (8th overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City. Orlando had traded $100,000 in general allocation money to Portland Timbers earlier in the day to acquire the pick.[11] Dodson missed preseason camp, electing to return to Georgetown to play during the delayed college season, but was eventually signed by the team on April 28 to a one-year contract with three separate option years.[12]

Hartford Athletic

Having not yet featured in a matchday squad for Orlando City, Dodson was loaned to USL Championship side Hartford Athletic on July 9, 2021.[13] He made his professional debut the following day as a 42nd-minute substitute replacing Richie Schlentz against New York Red Bulls II and scored in the 86th minute as Hartford came from two goals down to tie 2–2 in stoppage time.[14] He scored again three days later, the only goal in a 1–0 win over Tampa Bay Rowdies.[15] He scored five goals in 22 appearances as Hartford finished fifth in the Atlantic Division. Dodson had his contract option declined by Orlando City at the end of the 2021 season.[16]

Memphis 901

On February 18, 2022, Dodson signed with USL Championship side Memphis 901 ahead of their upcoming 2022 season.[17]

Charleston Battery

On December 15, 2022, it was announced Dodson had moved to USL Championship side Charleston Battery to reunite with recently appointed head coach Ben Pirmann, who had coached Memphis for the 2022 season.[18] He became a free agent following Charleston's 2023 season.[19]

= Minnesota United

Dodson joined Major League Soccer club Minnesota United on January 15, 2024.[20]

Personal life

Two of Dodson's older siblings also played college soccer. His brother, Ryan, played for the North Carolina Tar Heels (2011) and Denver Pioneers (2012–14).[21] His sister, Kristen, played for the Auburn Tigers (2014–17).[22]

Career statistics

College

School Season Division Apps Goals
Georgetown Hoyas 2017 Div. I 2010
2018 219
2019 2411
2020–21 72
Career total 7232

Club

As of October 31, 2021[23]
Club Season League Cup Playoffs Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
North County United 2018[10] PDL 62——62
Orlando City 2021 MLS 00—0000
Hartford Athletic (loan) 2021 USL Championship 225——225
Memphis 901 FC 2022 USL Championship 7110—81
Career total 3580000368

Honors

College

Georgetown Hoyas

Individual

  • Big East Freshman of the Year: 2017[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Derek Dodson - Men's Soccer". Georgetown University Athletics.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Soccer Development Academy End of Year awards 2017". www.ussoccerda.com.
  3. 1 2 "BIG EAST Announces Men's Soccer Regular Season Awards". www.bigeast.com.
  4. ↑ "NCAA Division I Men's All-America Team Announced". United Soccer Coaches.
  5. ↑ "Hoyas win first Men's College Cup in penalty kick shoot out". NBC Sports.
  6. ↑ "Georgetown outlasts Virginia in 2019 College Cup for first national championship". www.ncaa.com.
  7. ↑ "NCAA DI Council approves moving fall championships to the spring". www.ncaa.com.
  8. ↑ Goff, Steven. "Georgetown Hoyas win again but lose two players to pros". Washington Post.
  9. ↑ "BIG EAST Men's Soccer Regular Season Awards announced". SoccerWire.
  10. 1 2 "Treasure Coast Tritons - 2018 Regular Season Roster - Derek Dodson". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  11. ↑ "Orlando City trades up, picks Derek Dodson at No. 8 in MLS SuperDraft". news.yahoo.com.
  12. ↑ "Orlando City SC Signs 2021 MLS SuperDraft Selection Derek Dodson". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  13. ↑ "Orlando City SC Forward Derek Dodson Joins Hartford Athletic On Loan". Hartford Athletic.
  14. ↑ "Hartford Athletic vs. New York Red Bulls II - July 10, 2021". www.uslchampionship.com.
  15. ↑ "Matchday Report: Hartford Holds Firm for Victory against Rowdies". USL Championship. July 13, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Orlando City Exercises Contract Options on 11 Players Following 2021 MLS Season". Orlando City SC.
  17. ↑ "Graham Smith Highlights Three Arrivals for 901 FC".
  18. ↑ USLChampionship com Staff (December 15, 2022). "Charleston inks defender Derek Dodson to deal". USL Championship.
  19. ↑ nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, NICHOLAS MURRAY- (8 January 2024). "11 Free Agents to watch as the USL Championship preseason approaches". USL Championship.
  20. ↑ "Loons Sign Fullback Derek Dodson". MNUFC.com. Minnesota United. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  21. ↑ "Ryan Dodson - Men's Soccer". University of Denver Athletics.
  22. ↑ "Kristen Dodson - Soccer". Auburn University Athletics.
  23. ↑ "Derek Dodson Soccerway profile". Soccerway.
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