JACKSONVILLE - Former Orange Park High track and football athlete Sean Dixon made the best of a rough college start and topped if off in May by winning a national track title, the 400 meters hurdles event at the NCAA Division II track and field championships for Oklahoma Baptist University.
Dixon's win in Pueblo, Colorado, was the first ever individual national track title for Oklahoma Baptist with OBU joining NCAA Division II in 2016. Dixon, a senior, won his event in 49.54 seconds, a personal best and just a hair off the school record of 49.51. Dixon won by a gap of just 0.27 seconds.
Prior to the national championships, Oklahoma Baptist won their Great American Conference womens title with the men taking second to Harding University. Dixon won the 400 meters in 47.50 and got third in the 200 meters in 21.63.

"I went to a junior college after high school and it simply did not fit, got bad grades, COVID hit and came home," said Dixon, a track standout for the Raiders on a school record breaking and medal winning 4 x 400 relay squad; Dixon, Alex Collier, Diego Soto and Kadin Elmore while also a top football offensive threat. "I had to figure out what to do and it was with my mom's blessing and encouragement that I got myself right."
Dixon, returned to his junior college first, Allen Community College in Kansas, where he got straight A's, ran a 47.02 400 meters best, ran a 52.76 400 meters hurdles best (5th in 2023 NJCAA regions) and was on both the 4 x 400 and 4 x 100 relay teams. Dixon was ranked eighth at the junior college nationals.
"I got right, got ranked at Allen and got noticed by the Oklahoma Baptist coach who knew my Allen College coach," said Dixon. "That's where it started."
Dixon noted that a close track friend challenged Dixon to try the hurdles after being a strong 400 meters runner.
"His name was Raz, just kind of told me to try the 400 hurdles and I learned a lot about the event and it kind of fit me," said Dixon, now a fifth year student with four years of track. "I may or may not have another year of track because of a red shirt and I have some Division I schools interested in me."
At Oklahoma Baptist, Dixon is studying exercise science and performance. Dixon also qualified for the USA National Championships later this summer.
"I don't even know where it is or when it is because I never thought I'd be fast enough for it," said Dixon. "Once I got the message to get my grades up and get back to track, I worked my butt off to do it right."