Dec. 14, 2009

Senior men's soccer player Dustin Dawes has been named Marshall Student Athlete of the Week. Dawes was awarded the honor after being selected first team All-Region Dec. 10.

Dawes guided the Herd to its best season since joining Conference USA in 2005. MU, after being picked to finish eighth in preseason polls, posted a record of 10-7-2 (6-2 C-USA), and took second place in both regular-season and post-season play. The Nashville, Tenn., native had quite the impressive senior season. Dawes tallied seven goals, four of which were game-winning goals, two assists, and racked up a team-high 16 points. His four game-winning goals were the most in C-USA.

While playing in front of a hometown crowd at the Belmont Invitational, Dawes guided MU to its first win of the season as he scored a second half hat-trick in the span of nine minutes, en route to a 4-1 victory. In the first C-USA match of the season, Dawes sent the Herd home from Lexington with a 1-0 double-overtime triumph against then ranked No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats. He carried that momentum into the next conference match as he netted the game-winner at FIU in a 2-1 victory.

Dawes' fourth game-winner came in a 4-1 route of SMU at Sam Hood Field. The senior connected on a penalty kick attempt in the second half which proved to be the decisive goal in the match. In the final home match of his career, Dawes buried a header into the back of the net in the first half against UAB, as Marshall went on to defeat the Blazers 3-2. The win secured MU the second seed in the conference tournament.

His consistent play was recognized throughout the league by all coaches as Dawes was an All-Conference USA First Team selection. He was also a member of the All-Conference USA Tournament Team.