bdawson@montreat.edu
828-669-8011 x 3425
 
Coach Dawson is one of the most elusively successful cross country coaches in the country.  He's successfully coached in four different decades, beginning his collegiate coaching at West Virginia State in 1967.  He has been inducted into the West Virginia State Athletic Hall of Fame, as well as Morehead State University's Hall of Fame, where he went on to lead his track teams to OVC titles.  For his contributions to track & field, MSU went on to rename its track facility in Dawson's honor.
In addition, he went on to start a cross country program at Warner Southern College in 1993, taking those teams to multiple national championships.  He recently retired from Florida Southern College, where his teams won ten consecutive conference titles and competed at the NCAA championships numerous times.  He is also a member of the FSC Athletic Hall of Fame.  Coach Dawson gives God and his supporting wife, Roberta, all the credit for his coaching success.

Dawson's Coaching Accolades

Born in Bradshaw, West Virginia.

Graduated from high school in Coal Grove, Ohio where he was a four-sport athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field.

Recruited by Woody Hayes to play football at Ohio State, but transferred to Morehead State after one season with the Buckeyes.

1960- Graduates from Morehead State in Kentucky.Played football and baseball.

1961- Named Head Track and Field Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Lafayette High School in Lexington, Kentucky.             Wins two state championships and tied for a third.

1964- Named Head Football Coach and Head Track and Field Coach at Millersburg Military Institute in Kentucky. Coaches football team to a combined 26-5 record. Wins 1966 State Championship in Track and Field.

1964- Commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel.

1965- Earns Master's degree from Georgetown (KY) College.

1967- Named Assistant Football Coach at West Virginia State College.

1968- Named WVSC Head Track and Field Coach.Wins five straight conference titles.

1973- Named Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach at Morehead State.

1974- Named Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year.

1974- Named to West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's all-time coaches list to mark the league's 50th anniversary.

1977- Led Morehead State to the OVC Indoor Track and Field championship.The track at Morehead State was name the A.L. "Buck Dawson" Track.

1979- Came to Florida and taught at several schools in Polk County. Coached former Gator All-American and Olympian, Keith Brantley.

1991- Named Head Cross Country Coach at Warner Southern College.

1993- Named Florida Sun Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

1993- Named Florida Sun Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

1995- Named Head Cross Country Coach at Florida Southern College.

2001- Inducted into the West Virginia State College Hall of Fame.

2001- Inducted into the Morehead State Athletic Hall of Fame.

2006- Inducted into the Florida Southern College Athletic Hall of Fame.

2007- Retired from head coaching at Florida Southern, remained as assistant coach.Under Dawson,FSC Men's Team's won or shared 11 conference titles. With three trips to the NCAA Division II Championships. FSC Women's Teams won 6 conference titles.    With three trips to the NCAA Division II Championships.          Named Conference Men's Coach of the Year 10 times.             Named Conference Women's Coach of the Year 6 times.

Named men's coach of league's Silver Anniversary Team.

2008- Inducted into the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame.

2008- Inducted into the Polk County Hall of Fame.