Henderson State University Athletics

Dawson played football, baseball, and ran track. He earned All-AIC honors in baseball in 1964 and 1965 and All-AIC in football and track in 1964. He signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Yankees in 1965. Dawson also coached as a graduate assistant and a defensive backs coach at Henderson for three years. Dawson became a school administrator in 1974. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 1991 for meritorious service in Operation Desert Storm