Ben Dodson is back in his third year as assistant coach for the Drury track and field program.
During the 2025-26 track and field season, Dodson helped guide both programs to eighth-place finishes at the indoor and outdoor GLVC Championships. The Panthers earned nine more All-GLVC honors across the two GLVC Championships. Dodson coached the Panthers to hit faster marks, leading to the men's team creating 68 new top 10 marks, and the women's program creating 43 new top 10 marks.
In his first season, Dodson helped lead the men's program to finish in fourth and seventh at the GLVC Championship in indoor and outdoor, respectively. He also led the women's program to an 11th-place finish indoors and a 13th-place finish outdoors at the GLVC Championship. Dodson coached sprints and hurdles, where he helped Lauren Coleman to hit provisional national qualifying marks in the 100 meter and 200 meter last year and to break the school record in the 100 meter.
Prior to joining Drury, Dodson coached at Missouri Western State, where he coached sprints, hurdles, and middle distance events. Dodson led seven NCAA first team All-Americans, 39 provisional NCAA qualifying athletes, 3 MIAA conference champions, 19 All-MIAA first team athletes, and 109 All-MIAA second team athletes.
Dodson gained his first coaching experience at Saint George. During his time there, he coached sprints and hurdles and had three athletes make NAIA national qualifiers.
Dodson earned his Master's degree in Sport and Fitness Management from Missouri Western State and his Bachelor's from Saint George. He also has a sprints/hurdles/relay certification from the USTFCCCA.
