Hassani Dotson

Hassani Dotson

Dotson with Minnesota United in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Hassani Dotson Stephenson [1]
Date of birth	(1997-08-06) August 6, 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Seattle, Washington, United States
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) [2]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Minnesota United
Number	31
Youth career
2007–2009	Crossfire Academy
2009–2015	Washington Premier
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Oregon State Beavers	72	(5)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016	Washington Crossfire	6	(0)
2017–2018	Lane United	9	(0)
2019–	Minnesota United	141	(16)
International career‡
2019–2021	United States U23	7	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 20, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 21, 2021

Hassani Dotson Stephenson (born August 6, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United.

Dotson is typically a central midfielder but is known for being versatile and has excelled playing at left wing and right back for Minnesota United. ^[3]

Early career

Dotson attended Oregon State University, where he played college soccer for four years from 2015 to 2018, making 72 appearances, scoring five goals and tallying three assists. ^[4] In his senior year he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Second Team of the All-Far West Region, made the Second Team of the All-Pac-12 Conference, and received a Pac-12 Conference Academic Honorable Mention. ^[5]

While in college, Dotson also played in the Premier Development League with Washington Crossfire ^[6] and Lane United FC. ^[7]

Club career

On January 11, 2019, Dotson was drafted 31st overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by Minnesota United. ^[8] He signed with Minnesota on February 16, 2019, made his professional debut on March 2 that year against the Vancouver Whitecaps, and scored his first goal on June 2 against Philadelphia. ^{[9] [5]}

In June 2021, Dotson signed a three-year contract with Minnesota United. ^[10]

Dotson tore his ACL in April 2022 and was out until the 2023 season opener in February. ^{[11] [12]} In 2022 Dotson spent 3 months recovering from his ACL in Oregon where he lived with his in-laws, wife, and daughter who had been born earlier that year. ^[11]

International career

Dotson was a member of the United States under-23 team in 2019, playing in several friendlies. ^[13] In 2020, he was named to the United States under-23 roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship, although all games were postponed just before they were to begin in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ^{[14] [15]} When the qualifiers resumed in March 2021, he was again on the team, starting in the first game. ^[16]

Personal life

Dotson is married to Croatian Petra Vuckovic, who he met while in college. He proposed to her on the field following a game, a moment widely shared on social media. Together the couple have a daughter Gia. ^{[17] [11]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played October 20, 2024 ^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Washington Crossfire	2016 [6]	USL PDL	6	0	—		—		—		6	0
Lane United	2017 [7]	USL PDL	9	0	—		—		—		9	0
Minnesota United	2019	MLS	24	4	5	0	—		—		29	4
	2020	MLS	18	1	—		—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	21	1
	2021	MLS	29	2	—		—		1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	30	2
	2022	MLS	7	1	1	0	—		—		8	1
	2023	MLS	34	3	2	0	—		4 [lower-alpha 2]	1	40	4
	2024	MLS	29	5	0	0	—		—		29	5
	Total		141	16	8	0	0	0	8	1	157	17
Career total			156	16	8	0	0	0	8	1	172	17

1. Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
2. Appearances in Leagues Cup

References

1. https://mcusercontent.com/78d3589fb61466b549ff752e5/files/92e7a32f-796e-42b9-af2b-f0d7166d4246/20_MOQ_Rosters_Provisional_Lists.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
2. "Hassani Dotson". Minnesota United FC. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
3. Zgoda, Jerry Star (September 29, 2023). "Why Minnesota United's Hassani Dotson is the team's best player of late". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
4. "Hassani Dotson - Men's Soccer - Oregon State University Athletics". osubeavers.com. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
5. "Hassani Dotson". Minnesota United FC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
6. "Washington Crossfire - 2016 Regular Season - Roster - #80 - Hassani Dotson". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
7. "Lane United FC - 2017 Regular Season - Roster - # - Hassani Dotson -". uslleaguetwo.com. USL League Two. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
8. "SuperDraft Selection: Hassani Dotson | Minnesota United FC". mnufc.com. Retrieved March 10, 2019.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
9. "Chase Gasper & Hassani Dotson Sign With MNUFC | Minnesota United FC". mnufc.com. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
10. "Dotson Signs Three Year Deal | Minnesota United FC". MNUFC.
11. Zgoda, Jerry (September 9, 2022). "Minnesota United midfielder Hassani Dotson relishes parenthood as his knee recovers". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
12. Hunt, Stephen (February 25, 2023). "Minnesota United's Hassani Dotson shakes out the cobwebs, returns to pitch after 11-month absence". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
13. "U-23 MNT Notebook: September Olympic qualifying preparation camp in Chula Vista". United States Soccer Federation. September 19, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
14. "CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship Roster". United States Soccer Federation. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
15. "CONCACAF postpones 2020 men's Olympic qualifying championship due to COVID-19 outbreak". United States Soccer Federation. March 13, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
16. "USA vs Costa Rica | Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying 2020". US Soccer. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
17. "Minnesota United's Hassani Dotson finds right place, right time to ask, 'Will you?'". Star Tribune.
18. Hassani Dotson at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 January 2021.

External links

• Hassani Dotson at Major League Soccer