Biography
Junior Year (2023-24): Dawson was honored with an All-SoCon second team citation at flight two doubles after teaming with Sara Snyder for a 6-1 league mark in the second flight. The Paladin duo was 9-4 overall and put together a seven-match winning streak midseason. Dawson posted nonconference doubles victories over UNC Asheville, Quinnipiac, and Harvard and recorded consecutive 6-4 wins over Samford and ETSU in the SoCon tournament. In singles action, Dawson was 5-3 overall and won five-straight matches to finish the season. She scored straight-sets wins against Quinnipiac and Samford and twice versus Western Carolina. Dawson was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, the SoCon Academic All-Conference Team, and the CSC Academic All-District Team and was honored as an ITA Scholar-Athlete.
Sophomore Year (2022-23): Dawson was named to the All-SoCon first team for doubles. She posted an 8-13 overall singles record and was 4-3 against league competition. Dawson recorded a key 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3 win over Iowa at flight two and posted a 6-1, 6-3 win versus No. 39 Charlotte at flight five. With the score tied at 3-all, she came from behind after losing the first set, 6-3, to defeat ETSU, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(8-6), in a thrilling third-set tiebreaker at flight four singles to clinch the Southern Conference regular season title. In doubles, Dawson teamed with Sara Snyder for a 12-11 overall record and 6-1 SoCon mark at flight one, earning a national ranking as high as 51st. The Paladin duo defeated Wake Forest’s tenth-ranked doubles team, 7-5, and posted a 6-2 victory over No. 22 Tennessee’s top doubles duo. Dawson and Snyder also recorded non-conference victories over Yale, Cal State Fullerton, and San Diego State. Dawson was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, the SoCon Academic All-Conference Team, the CSC Academic All-District Team, and the ITA All-Academic Team.
Freshman Year (2021-22): Dawson was named to the All-SoCon second team at flight six singles and earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team after posting a 14-5 overall singles record and a perfect 4-0 mark versus league opponents, playing primarily at flights five and six. She scored a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory versus UAB and defeated Virginia Tech, 6-4, 7-5, before beating No. 24 Texas Tech, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, at the prestigious Blue Gray Tournament. After a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 43 Charlotte, she posted SoCon victories over Wofford, Chattanooga, Samford, and ETSU. Dawson defeated Chattanooga and ETSU in the SoCon tournament, helping the Paladins to the league title and an NCAA tournament berth. In doubles, Dawson teamed with Sara Snyder for a 13-4 overall record and 6-1 SoCon mark. The Paladin duo played mostly at flight three, posting a 6-4 victory over Nebraska and a 6-1 win at Clemson. Dawson and Snyder won three-straight matches in the SoCon Championships, notching wins over Mercer, Chattanooga, and ETSU, then defeated No. 29 Old Dominion, 6-3, in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. Dawson was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the ITA All-Academic Team.
Prep/Personal: Dawson, who led South Hunsley School to the National School Team Finals for three-consecutive years, is currently the seventh-ranked player in her age group in Great Britain. She reached the finals of British Tours in 2019 and made two semifinals in 2020. She recorded her first win over a WTA ranked player and was honored with the Headingly Trophy for best Yorkshire performance in Ladies Winter County Cup. As a junior, she claimed three doubles titles at Yorkshire Championships for Open, U18, and U18 Mixed, defending all titles for a second-consecutive year. A International Road to Wimbledon semifinalist in doubles, she also earned the Mallen Trophy for best Yorkshire performance in U18 County Cup. Jessica Dawson was born on August 21, 2003, in Hull, East Yorkshire. She is the daughter of Christine and Howard Dawson. Dawson is majoring in accounting.
