Meagan Dixon began as Academy of Art University softball director of operations in July 2021 after previously serving as an assistant coach in September 2019 and director of operations in August 2019.
Working alongside Head Coach Nikki Gentile in her first season, Dixon and the Urban Knights executed two separate five-game win streaks, contended for the Pacific West Conference Northern California Pod title, and achieved the program's highest slugging percentage (.451) to date and highest batting average (.303) since 2017. ART U finished a 2021 campaign shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a 15-13 overall record as three Knights accounted for six
PacWest weekly awards, three were named to the
All-PacWest Team, infielder Haley Randall was voted
PacWest Freshman of the Year plus added multiple All-Region honors, and junior catcher/infielder
Lauryn Henderson became the first student-athlete in program history to earn
NFCA All-American First Team honors along with All-Region and
All-PacWest First Team selections. A total of eight Knights collected
Academic All-PacWest honors as well.
The 2020 Academy of Art softball season was one of progression and determination despite unexpected circumstances. Highlighted by a
dramatic win in the year's first weekend of action, a PacWest sweep in the team's
home debut, and an
exciting victory in what became the final game before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the untimely cancellation, the Urban Knights were starting to gain momentum at what would have been the midpoint of the regular season. Additionally, the team collected seven
Academic All-PacWest honors at the year's end.
For the 2018-19 season, Dixon served as assistant coach with Jackson State softball in Mississippi. Working closely with head coach Kevin Montgomery, Dixon helped the Tigers make their first Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament appearance since 2015.
Prior to JSU, Dixon developed familiarity with the Pacific West Conference, spending three seasons (2016-18) as the assistant softball coach for Holy Names. In addition to working with the student-athletes, she led fundraisers, coordinated travel, and was heavily involved with recruiting.
Dixon started her coaching career as the head softball coach at Kipp King Collegiate Preparatory High School in 2016. She then spent two years as lead coach at the Oaktown Ballers Training Facility, providing private lessons and clinics for youth levels.
As a student-athlete, Dixon was both the 2014 SWAC Player and Hitter of the Year while earning First Team All-Conference honors at Alabama State. The Hornets’ starting centerfielder /first baseman led the SWAC in a variety of categories including batting average (.476), home runs (14), on-base percentage (.544), runs scored (52), and total bases (118) while adding the second-most hits (59) and runs batted in (52). In addition to being third in doubles (13), she also stole 15 bases in 17 attempts.
Dixon received NCAA Honors in 2014, ranking fifth in the nation in batting average, eighth in RBIs per game, and 10th in on-base percentage against top Division I programs. She completed her stellar four-year career with a .394 batting average, 31 home runs, and 149 RBIs.
Dixon earned her master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Holy Names in 2018 after her bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Services from Alabama State in 2015.
