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Dawson is a Huntington native who spent the first five seasons of his college career with Akron University, but transferred to the Thundering Herd, for whom heòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll play out his final season of eligibility. He plans to continue a role he started to settle into last year with the Zips.

òòò½ÊÓƵœI feel like thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s a role Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m going to have to take on this season, because itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s my last year in college and Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m back home,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Dawson said after emerging as a vocal leader early in summer practice.

òòò½ÊÓƵœLast year I kind of took on that role a little bit at Akron because we had younger guys coming in, but also had returners, and I was one of those guys that had to be a leader on and off the court,òòò½ÊÓƵ� he continued. òòò½ÊÓƵœComing into Marshall for my last year, Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m probably one of the oldest guys on the team, so I feel like thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s definitely my role for this season.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Dawson jumped right into summer workouts with that mentality and took to heart instruction from the coaching staff to communicate and encourage when he was on the floor.

That carried over from the first team practice to the first intrasquad scrimmage, which was held a week later.

òòò½ÊÓƵœThis was our second time all getting to play together, so weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re just now getting the hang of each other and what we all can do and how we can all gel together,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Dawson said. òòò½ÊÓƵœIt has been a good first two weeks of practice and workouts, really. I feel like weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve got a great squad and weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re going to do some special things this year.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

With his 6-foot-5, 222-pound frame, Dawson is a versatile player on the floor and excelled defensively with Akron but has the ability to score when called upon. He did that with ease in high school, becoming a 1,000-point scorer with both Huntington High and Huntington Prep.

Coming home to play college basketball, he said, was an opportunity too good to pass up òòò½ÊÓƵ” though he didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t do it just for the nostalgia, but to win.

òòò½ÊÓƵœI love Corny (Jackson) and feel like heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going to do some big things in his first year as a head coach here,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Dawson said. òòò½ÊÓƵœI mean, I believe in him, which is why I came here. All of our players believe in him, and thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going to lead to big things.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Dawson isnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t the only one who joined the Herd from Akron. New Marshall assistant coach Rob Fulford, who was also with the Zips for each of the five seasons Dawson was, was hired to Jacksonòòò½ÊÓƵ™s initial Herd staff.