Skye Dawson became the head coach of the men’s cross country and track and field programs at Florida A&M University in 2019. Previously, Dawson joined the FAMU men's and women's track & field staff as the assistant coach for sprints & hurdles in April 2017. He was later named the interim head coach of the men’s cross country and track and field before becoming the permanent coach in 2019.
A native of Mesquite, Texas, Dawson was a scholar-athlete and state champion in football. As a high school senior, he helped lead Dallas Christian to a 14-0 record and state championship in 2008 -- the Chargers' first state title in 10 years. He was later named All-District, and MVP of the Tom Hillary DFW All-Star Classic. In 2014, Dawson’s jersey was officially retired by Dallas Christian High School.
In track and field, Dawson is a record holder in four events at Dallas Christian. He ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in the 100 meters coming out of high school. He clocked a personal-best time of 10.22 seconds in the 100m at the Lancaster Meet of Champions. In 2008, Dawson won the state title in the 200m, clocking a time of 20.69 seconds. He ranked Top 5 in the nation and also holds the TAPPS state record with a long jump of 25-1/2 and 37.7 in the 300m hurdles. After winning the 100m at the Texas Relays in 2009, Dawson was named “Fastest Man in Texas.” He attended and graduated from TCU where he received a full athletic scholarship for football and track.
In 2011, Dawson ranked second on the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns -- all career-highs – and was named Offensive MVP of the Poinsettia Bowl, with 85 yards receiving and the game-winning touchdown. As a senior at TCU, Dawson earned All-Big 12 honors as a returner and was one of two players in the Big 12 to be ranked in the top 5 in the conference in both punt return average (9.4 yds.) and kickoff returns average (23.1 yds.).
Dawson captured championship accolades in the men's 60m at the 2010 MWC Indoor Championships, blazing to a personal-best time of 6.69 seconds. During the outdoor season, he was the first leg of the men's 4x100 that ranked in the Top 5 in the NCAA for the majority of the outdoor season. Dawson helped the quartet finish second overall at the Texas Relays, with a seasonal-best time of 39.20 seconds, which at that point TCU was ranked Top 5 in the world. He played a major role on the 4x100m relay team capturing first-place honors in four meets during the outdoor season, including the MWC Championships.
In 2013, he signed a pro NFL contract with the Washington Redskins and also spent years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions as a wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner. Dawson also played a season in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders.
After retiring from his professional football career, Dawson moved to Brownwood, Texas and served as Wide Receivers and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Howard Payne University for the 2017 Football Season.
Dawson comes from a strong lineage and impressive family tradition of always striving for excellence. His father Gary Dawson played professional baseball for the Oakland A’s; his mother Rhonda Dawson is a former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader; his older sister Dr. Taniyah Dawson Alexander is a former starting point guard for the Florida A&M University Women’s Basketball Team; and his younger sister Brianna Dawson was a Division I scholarship track athlete at Stephen F. Austin University.
