Derek Dodson Bio
Derek Dodson (born November 3, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a wing-back. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall, he is listed as a versatile wide player capable of playing both in defense and further forward on the flank. He is best known for his standout college career with the Georgetown Hoyas, where he helped the program win its first NCAA National Championship in 2019.
After being selected in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Dodson spent the early part of his professional career moving through the United Soccer League (USL) Championship ranks, featuring for Hartford Athletic, Memphis 901, Charleston Battery, and Birmingham Legion FC. In late 2024, he joined Major League Soccer side D.C. United, continuing his development at the top tier of American soccer.
Early Life and Background
Derek Dodson was born in Naperville, Illinois, in the United States. He grew up in a family that clearly valued soccer, a sport that shaped much of his childhood. From a young age, he was drawn to the game and spent his formative years developing through local youth channels.
As a teenager, Dodson joined the Sockers FC academy, where he spent five seasons and rose to become a three-year starter and a one-year captain. During his time with Sockers FC, the club qualified for the playoffs in all five seasons he was on the roster. His performances at the youth level earned him a place on the 2017 USSDA Central Conference Best XI, signaling that he was among the top young players in the region.
Education has remained an important part of Dodson’s story. He attended Sockers FC for his high school–level development and later enrolled at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he balanced academics with an elite college soccer career.
Path to Soccer
Dodson’s path to professional soccer began in earnest at the Sockers FC academy, where his leadership and scoring touch quickly set him apart. The platform there provided him with the competitive experience needed to attract attention from top college programs and, eventually, Major League Soccer scouts.
He committed to Georgetown University, joining the Georgetown Hoyas for the 2017 season. That move launched one of the most decorated individual stretches of his career. In parallel, during the 2018 Premier Development League season, he appeared for North County United, scoring two goals in six appearances. The PDL stint gave him valuable senior-level minutes while he was still an underclassman in college.
By his junior year, Dodson had firmly established himself as one of the best players in the Big East Conference, drawing national recognition and positioning himself as a top professional prospect ahead of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.
Derek Dodson Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Dodson’s early career is defined almost entirely by his time at Georgetown University. He played college soccer for the Georgetown Hoyas between 2017 and 2021, scoring 32 goals in 72 appearances across his five years with the program. The relationship between his club form and his college production was clear: every offseason, he returned to campus sharper and more decisive in front of goal.
As a freshman in 2017, he appeared in all 20 games, though he was limited to seven starts. Despite the limited starting role, he led the Hoyas in scoring with 10 goals, three of which were game-winners, and was named Big East Freshman of the Year. By his sophomore and junior seasons, he had become a two-time First Team All-Big East selection in 2018 and 2019, while also earning United Soccer Coaches All-America third team honors in 2019. During this developmental phase, he also gained a taste of senior-level soccer with North County United in the PDL in 2018.
Georgetown Hoyas Breakthrough (2017–2021)
The 2019 season marked the clear breakthrough of Dodson’s college career. He scored a career-high 11 goals that year as Georgetown enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Hoyas defended their Big East regular-season title, won a third consecutive Big East tournament crown, and ultimately claimed the first National Championship in Georgetown men’s soccer history.
In the 2019 College Cup final, Dodson scored an 81st-minute go-ahead goal before future Orlando City teammate Daryl Dike equalized five minutes later to send the match to overtime at 3–3. Georgetown eventually won in a penalty shootout, with Dodson playing a central role in the title run. After the 2020 fall season was postponed to spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dodson elected to return for a senior season despite being drafted. He made a further seven appearances for the Hoyas and helped the team top the Big East spring standings, earning Big East All-Conference first team honors at the end of the regular season.
D.C. United Era (2024–Present)
In December 2024, D.C. United selected Derek Dodson in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft. The club then signed him on December 31, 2024, to a one-year contract with an option for an additional year, signaling their confidence in his continued development as a wing-back at the MLS level.
His move to D.C. United followed a productive 2024 loan spell at USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC, which had given him consistent minutes heading into the offseason. He joined a D.C. United side looking to bolster its wide options, bringing the kind of championship experience he had gained at Georgetown. However, on November 26, 2025, the team announced that they had declined his contract option, opening the next chapter of his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Dodson is listed as a wing-back and a forward, reflecting his versatility across the flank. His game is built on intelligent wide play, the ability to deliver from wide areas, and a consistent scoring threat that he has showcased at every level. At Georgetown, his knack for arriving in the right place at the right time was a defining trait, while his comfort operating higher up the pitch when needed adds tactical flexibility for his coaching staff.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Dodson’s most notable milestones are his 2019 College Cup-winning goal for Georgetown and his selection in the first round (8th overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City, who traded $100,000 in general allocation money to Portland Timbers to acquire the pick. He also recorded a memorable professional debut for Hartford Athletic, scoring within minutes of coming on as a substitute and adding another goal three days later.
Derek Dodson Career Wins
Derek Dodson’s career wins are anchored by his remarkable college tenure and the consistent contributions he has made at the professional level. While he has not yet won a major trophy in Major League Soccer, his list of team and conference successes stretches across multiple stops.
Georgetown Hoyas Highlights
With the Georgetown Hoyas, Dodson was a central figure in one of the most successful stretches in program history. He helped Georgetown win the Big East regular-season title and the Big East tournament in 2019, then scored a key goal in the College Cup final as the Hoyas claimed their first NCAA National Championship. Individually, he was a two-time First Team All-Big East selection, a United Soccer Coaches All-America third team honoree, and the Big East Freshman of the Year in 2017.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond Georgetown, Dodson helped Charleston Battery reach the 2023 USL Championship Final, recording three goals and five assists in 38 games across the regular season and playoffs as the club won the Eastern Conference title. At Hartford Athletic, he finished the 2021 USL Championship season with five goals in 22 appearances, helping the club to a fifth-place finish in the Atlantic Division.
Derek Dodson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Dodson comes from a family with a strong soccer tradition. Two of his older siblings also played college soccer, which helped shape his early understanding of the game and the level of work required to succeed at the highest levels of American youth soccer.
Personal Life
His brother, Ryan Dodson, played college soccer for the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2011 and for the Denver Pioneers from 2012 to 2014. His sister, Kristen Dodson, played for the Auburn Tigers between 2014 and 2017. Beyond these details about his siblings, limited public information is available about Derek Dodson’s broader personal life.
2025 Season Performance
Dodson entered the 2025 campaign with D.C. United after being selected in Stage 2 of the 2024 Re-Entry Draft and signing a one-year deal with an option for an additional year. The contract placed him at the club through the end of the 2025 MLS season, with the team holding a decision on his future beyond that point.
Throughout the 2025 season, Dodson continued to feature as a versatile wide option, drawing on his experiences at Hartford Athletic, Memphis 901, Charleston Battery, and Birmingham Legion FC. His ability to operate as a wing-back or further forward gave the D.C. United coaching staff tactical flexibility, particularly during congested stretches of the MLS schedule.
On November 26, 2025, D.C. United announced that they had declined his contract option, bringing his time in Washington to a close. The decision opened the door for Dodson to evaluate his next move heading into 2026, whether in Major League Soccer or elsewhere in the professional game.