For the first time since 2017, Antwan Dixon will return to uniform for Kent State.
Dixon, a Flashes wide receiver, missed the 2016 and ’17 seasons with aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder that limits the body’s ability to produce enough blood cells. Dixon received a bone marrow transplant from his father that allowed him to compete in time for the 2018 season, where he quickly became one of Kent State’s best players.
Dixon caught 52 passes for 532 yards and two scores in 2018, ranking second on the team in catches and yards. Last year he caught 34 balls for 333 yards and one score. He closed with a 5-catch, 99-yard, one-touchdown effort in a 51-41 defeat of Utah State in the Frisco Bowl.
That would have been the end of it, had Dixon not been granted a sixth year of eligibility, as he did on Wednesday.
“I am really excited about the outcome for Antwan,” head coach Sean Lewis said in a statement. “He was one of the first individuals we learned about when we arrived at Kent State and to have him and his energy for another season is great. I am excited to see what the future holds for him and the rest of the team this fall!”
Dixon has used his platform and his experiences to raise awareness for rare diseases and has been honored for his work by the non-profit Uplifting Athletes.
