#14 Derek Dodson
Position: Defender
Height: 6’1
Weight: 168
Jersey #: 14
DOB: 11/3/1998 (25)
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Nationality: USA
Dodson, 25, signed a contract with Minnesota United in January and has primarily been with the club’s MLS Next Pro team, having made six appearances – all starts – for Minnesota United 2 this season. He was an unused substitute for the first team’s match with the Columbus Crew on March 2.
No stranger to the USL Championship, Dodson was a stalwart on the backline for the Charleston Battery in 2023 with three goals and five assists in 39 appearances, which includes playing all 120 minutes in last season’s USLC Finals against Phoenix Rising FC. Prior to his time with the Battery, Dodson tallied three goals and three assists in 31 appearances with Memphis 901 FC in 2022.
This will be Dodson’s second MLS-to-USL Championship loan stint, having previously joined Hartford Athletic from Orlando City SC during the 2021 campaign. He scored a career-best five goals in 22 appearances that season, to go along with three assists.
A native of Aurora, IL, Dodson played collegiately at Georgetown from 2017-21, where he was named Big East Freshman of the Year, earned First Team All-Conference honors three times, served as captain for two seasons and helped lead the Hoyas to its first NCAA National Championship in 2019. He was drafted eighth overall by Orlando in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.
