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.
_(cropped).jpg) Dotson with Minnesota United in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hassani Dotson Stephenson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | August 6, 1997 | ||
| 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 | 118 | (11) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019–2021 | United States U23 | 7 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 6, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 21, 2021 | |||
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 April 6, 2024[18]
| 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[a] | 0 | 21 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | MLS | 29 | 2 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2022 | MLS | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| 2023 | MLS | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 1 | 40 | 4 | ||
| 2024 | MLS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Total | 118 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 134 | 12 | ||
| Career total | 133 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 149 | 12 | ||