“There is no question Juan Dixon will take our women’s basketball program to the next level,” Thomas said. “His tremendous success as a student-athlete, as well as professionally, combined with his respect for the development of students support our goals. I am excited about the opportunity to work with Juan and welcome him to the Firebird community.”

Dixon’s last coaching stop was as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach – Men’s Basketball at his alma mater, Maryland. There he supported 2015 Big 10 Conference Coach of the Year, Mark Turgeon, by enhancing game plans and strategizing how to attack opponents offensively and defensively. He helped implement offensive sets and defensive principles, analyzed and broke down film, and mentored, motivated, counseled and developed student-athletes, including future NBA players Alex Len, Diamond Stone, Jake Layman and Robert Carter, Jr.

Dixon also coached DMV’s Finest and Team Maryland during The Basketball Tournament (TBT) in Philadelphia, PA, and directs his own Juan Dixon Basketball Camp and Premier Basketball Camp, both in Baltimore, MD.

One of the most celebrated student-athletes in Maryland history, Dixon remains the all-time leading scorer in program history (2,269 points) after leading the Terrapins to their first national title in 2002 as a senior. He holds six different records in program history, ranging from points, games played, steals and 3-pointers.

The Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 NCAA Final Four and ACC Player of the Year, Dixon earned two All-America selections, three First Team All-ACC selections and two All-ACC Tournament selections throughout his illustrious career. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 steals in 141 games from 1998-2002.

Dixon was drafted with the 17^th pick of the 2002 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, where he spent three seasons. He signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2005, and he averaged a career-high 12.3 points during his first season with the team. After stops in Toronto and Detroit, Dixon wrapped up his nine-year NBA career with the Wizards in 2008-09.

Throughout his NBA career, Dixon played under Hall of Fame Player Doug Collins and Patrick Ewing (Wizards), Monty Williams and Nate McMillan (Trail Blazers), 2007 NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell (Toronto Raptors), Flip Saunders (Detroit Pistons), and Eddie Jordan (Wizards). He also played alongside the following: Charles Oakley, Jerry Stackhouse, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Christian Laettner, Tyronn Lue, (former Maryland backcourt-mate) Steve Blake, Zach Randolph, Theo Ratliff, Chris Bosh, TJ Ford, José Calderón, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Caron Butler. During his first stint with the Wards, he was also teammates with and mentored by NBA legend Michael Jordan.

Dixon, a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, MD, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Family Science in 2013 from the University of Maryland. During his student-athlete career at Maryland he earned numerous distinctions including: NCAA Senior CLASS Award (2002), Chip Hilton Award (2002), ESPN Shooting Guard of the Year (2002), Wooden Player of the Year Award candidate (2002), Third Team NABC All-American (2001) and Third Team USBWA All-American (2001). He was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2012, and he was selected as one of 75 All-Time March Madness Players in 2012.

Dixon takes over a Firebirds women’s basketball program that since 2011-12 has four seasons with over 20 wins, three NCAA Division II East Regional Tournament bids, four ECC Championship Tournament semifinal appearances, and one ECC Tournament Championship.

He replaces DeWayne Burroughs, who left UDC after a one-year stint to take the Head Women’s Basketball Coach position at his alma mater, Coppin State University.

http://udcfirebirds.com/sports/wbkb/2016-17/releases/20161014hqppff

Photo Courtesy UDC Athletics