Mikal Dawson (23) works through a drill as assistant coach Rob Fulford instructs as the Marshall men’s basketball team conducts its first team practice Friday, June 14, 2024, at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
Mikal Dawson (23) works through a drill as assistant coach Rob Fulford instructs as the Marshall men’s basketball team conducts its first team practice Friday, June 14, 2024, at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON — In the gymnasium at the Cam Henderson Center at a summer practice, one voice stood out.
Perhaps the most noticeable cadence in the gym, outside of Marshall men’s basketball coach Cornelius Jackson’s whistle, was the voice of Mikal Dawson.
Dawson is a Huntington native who spent the first five seasons of his college career at the University of Akron, but transferred to the Thundering Herd, for whom he’ll play out his final season of eligibility. He plans to continue a role he started to settle into last year with the Zips.
“I feel like that’s a role I’m going to have to take on this season, because it’s my last year in college and I’m back home,†Dawson said after emerging as a vocal leader early in summer practice.
“Last 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,†he continued. “Coming into Marshall, I’m probably one of the oldest guys on the team, so I feel like that’s definitely my role this season.â€
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.
“This was our second time all getting to play together, so we’re just now getting the hang of each other and what we all can do and how we can all gel together,†Dawson said. “It has been a good first two weeks of practice and workouts, really. I feel like we’ve got a great squad and we’re going to do some special things this year.â€
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 — though he didn’t do it just for the nostalgia, but to win.
“I love Corny [Jackson] and feel like he’s going to do some big things in his first year as a head coach here,†Dawson said. “I mean, I believe in him, which is why I came here. All of our players believe in him, and that’s going to lead to big things.â€
Dawson isn’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 Jackson’s initial Herd staff.
Luke Creasy is a reporter for HD Media. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
