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The winningest coach in ODU history and a four-time CAA Coach of the Year, head coach Alan Dawson has guided the Monarchs for 12 seasons. In just a few short years, he has led the Old Dominion University men's soccer team to national prominence with six straight NCAA Tournament berths, including two top 16 seeds, and two straight round of 16 berths. Last season, ODU tied for second in the CAA and newcomer Steffen Rabben became the fourth Monarch under Dawson to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors. In the fall 2007, the Monarchs captured the Colonial Athletic Championship and advanced to the round of 16 after beating Providence and sixth ranked Brown. David Horst earned CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight year and became the first Monarch ever selected in the first round of the MLS Super draft. In 2006, ODU compiled a 14-6-2 record and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA College Cup, knocking off Winthrop, and tenth ranked North Carolina before losing a 2-1 decision to eventual national champion UC Santa Barbara. ODU also ranked among the nation's top 20 in attendance. In 2005, the Monarchs rolled to a 15-4-2 record, reaching the CAA championship Match for the second straight year and earning a number ten seed in the NCAA College Cup. During the season ODU knocked off nationally ranked Virginia, Davidson, and N.C. State. As the regular season champion, ODU hosted the CAA tournament. Dawson was named CAA Coach of the Year for the fourth time and the Virginia Coach of the Year by VaSID for the second time. In 2004, the Monarchs were 13-6-2 and reached the championship match of the Colonial Athletic Association. For the first time in school history ODU was awarded a number 12 seed and a first round bye of the NCAA Tournament. The soccer Monarchs defeated North Carolina, Rutgers and handed CAA rival James Madison it's first loss of the year. In 2003, the Monarchs reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Old Dominion defeated N.C. State 6-3 at home in the first round before falling to #2 seed Maryland 2-1 on the road in the second round. The Monarchs were ranked as high as #2 during a season that saw ODU race to a 14-0-0 start and become the last Division I team to lose a game. The Monarchs started the season with a nine game shutout streak before VCU found the net in the 10th game. The Monarchs' 15-4-1 record marks the fourth season since 1999 in which Dawson has led his team to double-digit wins. For his efforts, Dawson received his third CAA Coach of the Year award and was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) South-Atlantic Coach of the Year. In 2001, the Monarchs finished 10-6-2 as CAA semifinalists and captured a slew of post-season awards, including Dawson's second CAA Coach of the Year honor. In 1999, the men's team finished 15-4-0, winning the CAA regular season title and earning him CAA Coach of the Year honors and the Virginia Sports Information Directors' Coach of the Year Award. Coming into 2004, Dawson's Monarchs will look once again to challenge for another title run. Dawson, a former assistant coach at the University of North Carolina (1996) and a two-time NCAA Division III South Region Coach of the Year at Methodist, has always been known as a winner. In 1995, he led Methodist to the NCAA Division III Championship game. While at Methodist, he guided the school to seven consecutive conference championships and six straight NCAA tournament appearances in only nine seasons. He was inducted into the Methodist College Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. His combined career record at Methodist was 129-30-1 and his squads finished in the top 10 of the ISAA national polls for seven consecutive seasons. The 1995 team was ranked number one nationally all eight weeks of the regular season as it advanced to the 1995 championship game. He also guided Methodist squads to the round of 16 in 1990 and 1991 and into the quarterfinals in 1992. Dawson accumulated several coaching awards during his stay at Methodist. He garnered Dixie Conference Coach of the Year honors five times and South Region Coach of the Year honors in 1990 and 1995. He produced 32 All-South selections, seven All-Americans, and two Academic All-Americans during his tenure at the school. Dawson also coached three teams to undefeated seasons: in 1991 (15-0-3), 1992 (14-0-2) and 1993 (17-0-0). He served as head coach of the North Carolina Olympic Development team from 1989-94, winning the USSF Region III championship game in 1993. He was a USSF South Region (III) staff member from 1992 to 1996, and served as the 1979 Region III head coach. From 1988-91, Dawson served as a member of the NCAA Division III South Region selection committee and is currently a member of the Adidas Scholar-Athlete All-American Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the Intercollegiate Soccer Association South Region rating committee. This year, Dawson will be a member of the NCAA Regional Selection Committee for the South-Atlantic Region. Before coaching at Methodist, he served as a graduate assistant coach at UNC-Greensboro from 1984-86. UNCG reached the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in 1984 and won the championship in 1985. He also led the Virginia ODP team to back-to-back regional championships as the head coach in 1999 and 2000. Dawson holds a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) `B' license, and a Full Irish Badge (Grade One) coaching license. Dawson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Lock Haven University in 1984, and a Master of Science degree in physical education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1986. He and his wife Mari have three children, Alec (18), Garrick (17) and Ellesse (15). Alan is the son of Isabel and the late Stanley Dawson of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Year-by-Year with Alan Dawson: 1987 Methodist College 8-6-3 1988 Methodist College 12-5-0 1989 Methodist College 14-5-0 1990 Methodist College 15-3-1 NCAA Division III Tourn. 1991 Methodist College 16-1-3 NCAA Division III Tourn. 1992 Methodist College 16-1-2 NCAA Division III Qtrs 1993 Methodist College 14-4-0 NCAA Division III Tourn. 1994 Methodist College 13-4-1 NCAA Division III Tourn. 1995 Methodist College 21-1-0 NCAA Division III Finalist 1997 Old Dominion 7-9-1 1998 Old Dominion 8-8-2 1999 Old Dominion 15-4-0 2000 Old Dominion 10-6-2 2001 Old Dominion 8-7-2 2002 Old Dominion 10-9-1 NCAA Division I 2nd Rd 2003 Old Dominion 15-4-1 NCAA Division I 2nd Rd 2004 Old Dominion 13-6-2 NCAA Division I 2nd Rd. 2005 Old Dominion 15-4-2 NCAA Division I 2nd Rd. 2006. Old Dominion 14-6-2 NCAA Division I third Rd. 2007 Old Dominion 14-7-3 NCAA Division I third Rd. 2008 Old Dominion 9-7-3
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