Mississippi Brilla News Release - www.msbrillafc.org

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

MISSISSIPPI – A familiar face will be on the sideline when Mississippi Brilla FC begins its third season in the Premier Development League in 2009. The team recently announced that Dave Dixon would be returning to coach the team in 2009. Dixon led the team to a 6-5-5 record during its inaugural campaign in 2007 and was also instrumental in the organization being awarded the Rookie Franchise of the Year award during the USL AGM that November. Dixon moved to Pennsylvania following the 2007 season to serve as the Women’s Assistant Coach at Temple University. Steve DeCou served as the Head Coach for Mississippi Brilla FC during the 2008 season.

“Coach DeCou did a fantastic job for us this past season,” said Rusty Bryant, President and General Manager. “He led us to our second winning season, and did a great job developing our players. However, we could not pass up the opportunity to add a full-time coaching staff to our organization.”

Dixon will return to Mississippi Brilla FC in early 2009 to serve as the full-time Head Coach of the PDL team, as well as the Director of Coaching for their new youth club, Mississippi Brilla FC Juniors. The Mississippi Brilla FC Juniors will begin play in the fall of 2009, and will offer competitive boys and girls youth teams for U11-U19. The teams will be based out of Clinton, MS, also the home of Mississippi Brilla FC.

Dixon attended Houghton College in New York where he was a two-time NAIA All-American goalkeeper. He went on to play for the Jackson Chargers in the PDL, and also the Charlotte Eagles in the USL-2. He began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach for Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY, and then moved on to become the Head Women’s Coach for Belhaven College in Jackson, MS. Just prior to coaching at Temple University, Dixon served as the Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach at Milligan College in Tennessee.

Dixon, who holds an NSCAA Advanced National Coaching License, has additional coaching experience in the USL as Assistant Coach for the Charlotte Eagles W-League team, as well as the Head Coach for the Southern California Seahorses (PDL) Japan Tour team.

Todd Eason will also join Dixon on the full-time staff after the first of the year. Eason will serve as the Associate Head Coach of the PDL team, as well as the Director of Player Development for the Mississippi Brilla FC Juniors.

Eason joins the Mississippi Brilla FC staff from Tusculum College, where he served as the Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach in 2007-2008. The 2008 Tusculum team finished with a 20-3-1 record and a No. 7 national ranking.

Eason, a native of Atlanta, Ga., served two seasons (2005-2006) as Head Men’s Coach at North Georgia College & State University. Prior to his term in Georgia, Eason spent three seasons as the Head Women’s Coach at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C. from 2002-05. Eason was also the inaugural Head Women’s Coach at Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky. from 2001-02.

Eason attended William Carey College in Gulfport, Miss., where he twice earned All-Conference honors as well as being named team MVP his senior season. He also helped lead the team to three appearances in the NAIA National Tournament. Eason graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. After graduating, he played two years in the PDL with the Jackson Chargers. During that time he coached the men’s soccer team at Jackson Academy in Mississippi, as well as serving as a coach for the Jackson Futbol Club. He also played professionally in the USL with the Charlotte Eagles in 2000 and 2001. Eason is a certified coach with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Mississippi Brilla FC, the highest level of soccer in the state of Mississippi, competes in the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. The team will begin its third season in May 2009. Please visit www.msbrillafc.org for updates and additional information.