Roanoke College head men’s soccer coach, Ryan Pflugrad has added Dorion Dixon to his staff. Dixon will join the Maroons as an assistant coach and performance analyst after spending the past three years at Radford University as an Assistant Coach & Director of Performance Analytics.
“We are excited to add Dorion to our staff,” said Coach Pflugrad. “He brings vast experiences as a high-level player, college coach, and expertise in performance analytics that will certainly aid our student athletes and program.”
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise, sport, and health education from Radford in 2021, Dixon was hired by his alma mater as an assistant strength & conditioning coach and men’s soccer assistant coach. He then served as an assistant coach while earning a M.A. in Organizational Training and Performance Management at Tusculum University.
Dixon is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the International Sport Sciences Association (ISSA) and has an advanced Strength and Conditioning Certificate in Soccer Performance through International Sport Science Performance Federation (ISSPF).
As a collegiate player, the Chantilly, Virginia native appeared in 35 games for Radford from 2019-21. Dixon also played a year at Duquesne in 2017, competing in seven matches for the Dukes. Dixon also has semi-professional experience, playing in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) with Northern Virginia United.
The men’s soccer squad is set to open their 2026 campaign on Sep. 1 when they face-off with Covenant at Kerr Stadium in a 7:00 pm matchup. The Maroons recently announced their fall schedule.
“We’re excited for this group to compete against this challenging schedule next fall,” said Pflugrad. “Our returning players have put in tremendous work throughout the winter and spring, and their commitment has us eager to get going with this group.”
The Maroons are set to play three exhibitions, and 16 regular season contests this fall. The squad has a heavy home slate to start the season with six of their eight September games being at Kerr Stadium. RC’s season opener against Covenant (Sep. 1) is one of those home games, as is their conference opener against Bridgewater (Sep. 26).
They are also scheduled to face-off with four 2025 NCAA Tournament teams: Berry (Sep. 7), Washington & Lee (Oct. 3), Hampden-Sydney (Oct. 10), and Lynchburg (Oct. 21).
“Our non-conference schedule is once again demanding, and we believe it will test us early, strengthen our SOS, and better prepare us for the challenges of ODAC play. After starting really well last season before struggling in conference, we recognize the importance of being battle-tested heading into league competition.”
Roanoke will play their final game of the season at Guilford on Oct. 28. The ODAC playoffs are then set to begin on Oct. 31 with the quarterfinal round. The ODAC Championship is scheduled for the following Saturday (Nov. 7).
