LAKELAND, Fla. - Southeastern University Track and Field head coach Nick Dodson added another accolade to his resume over the weekend; induction into the Georgia Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Dodson received the honor at the association's annual convention, held in Lilburn, Ga.
A 2006 graduate of Thomas County Central High School, Dodson ran track and played football all four years. He was the class 4A State Champion in the 300 hurdles his senior year.
Dodson went on to attend Shorter University in Rome, Ga., where he earned his degree in Media Studies with a minor in Journalism. He was an 11-time NAIA All-American and a three-time National Champion. He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2019.
"Winning state and national championships was an accomplishment I never thought would be possible in my career, as that just doesn't happen very often where I'm from," said Dodson. "Those were great, but the most meaningful parts of my track career are the many friendships built and the countless memories throughout the years."
Dodson became a coach after his track career ended, eventually taking a job with SEU as the first head coach of the Fire in 2018. From the start, the men's and women's teams have excelled at the conference and national levels. SEU has won one NAIA National Championship (2023 Men's Indoor) and has won every Sun Conference indoor (4) and outdoor (5) championship since his arrival.
"Being given a chance to start my own program at Southeastern has been an amazing opportunity," said Dodson. "To work with my staff investing and coaching our athletes to be the best they can be on and off the track is an honor, and watching something we started from scratch grow into a championship program has been the one accomplishment I am most proud of."
Dodson has been honored by his peers in the Sun Conference as Coach of the Year 15 times (eight men's honors and seven on the women's side) and is an 11-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Region Coach of the Year. In 2023, he was honored as both the NAIA and USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year.
"My biggest goal was to make it out of my hometown and make my parents proud of me," added Dodson. "The Lord has had His hands on me and I'm forever grateful for the impact He has had on my life. Being able to follow the journey He has for my life is a blessing, and my goal is to take that same blessing and pass it down to the student-athletes that the Lord continues to put in my life each year."
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