Kent State WR Dixon earns Comeback POY Award

KSU running back played after bone

marrow transplant

Associated Press

Kent State receiver Antwan Dixon, Dartmouth defensive lineman Seth Simmer and Carson-Newman running back Antonio Wimbush are the first recipients of the Mayo Clinic college football Comeback Player of the Year Award.

The new award recognizes college football players from FBS, FCS and lower divisions who overcome injury, illness or other challenges to return to the field.

The winners were chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America in association with The Associated Press.

Mayo Clinic will donate $5,000 each to the general scholarship funds at Kent State, Dartmouth and Carson-Newman in the names of the winners.

Thirty players from all levels of college football were nominated for the award.

Dixon, the FBS winner, and Simmer, the FCS winner, were selected in a vote of AP college football poll voters. Wimbush was selected by COSIDA’s small-college advisory board.

Dixon was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, aplastic anemia, in high school. He was able to earn a scholarship and have a productive freshman season at Kent State in 2015, but the medication he was using to curb fatigue and frequent flu-like symptoms eventually was not enough.

Doctors told him he would need a bone marrow transplant, which he underwent in April 2017.

Dixon missed two seasons, but returned to school and the team in 2018.

This season, Dixon played in every game and the 5-foot-8, 178-pound receiver led the team with 52 receptions for 532 yards and two touchdowns for the Golden Flashes.

“I want to thank God for guiding me through my struggles and blessing me with another day on Earth. I want to thank my mother and father and whole support system,” Dixon said

“This means the world to me and my family and I appreciate everyone who has supported me and sent out prayers to me while I was going through my tough times.”