LAURINBURG — Scotland High School senior Trey Dixon had every intention of joining his teammates on National Signing Day last week — his appendix had other plans.

Instead of signing his letter of intent to play Division II college football for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in the media center at the high school, Trey signed his letter from his hospital bed at Scotland Memorial after having an emergency appendectomy.

The Scots senior has made a full recovery and is looking forward to continuing his football career, even though that wasn’t his original plan.

“I used to like basketball way more than football,” he said. “I didn’t play school football until my sophomore year. I wanted to play basketball all my life but plans change.”

UNC Pembroke competes as an NCAA Division II independent and finished last season 2-8 as they were 1-3 at home and 1-5 on the road. The 10-year-old program is under the direction of head coach Shane Richardson, now is now in his third-year. Richardson’s overall record is 18-14.

Despite being an independent school with no particular conference, the Braves have two main rivalries — Wingate and Fayetteville State. UNCP is 4-0 in their all-time meetings with FSU and 2-4 against Wingate.

The campus is just 20 minutes from Laurinburg, but the proximity isn’t what appealed to Trey, it was the atmosphere and the familiar faces.

“It was a great environment and the coaches really treated me like family when I went up there,” he said. “I know a lot of people that got there that graduated from Scotland so it made it easy for me to get along with everybody.”

The Scots senior plans to get his undergraduate degree in biology at UNCP then transfer to UNC-Charlotte, through a dual degree program the two schools have, to get his masters in biomedical engineering.

“I’ve already been accepted to to UNC-Charlotte, so once I get my bachelor’s I’ll transfer up there to get my master’s,” he said. I”’m trying to find a good job and I did that with biomedical engineering. I’ll be making the medicine, needles and other medical devices for doctors, hospitals and researchers.”

Trey is a three-sport athlete at Scotland High School playing football in the fall, basketball in the winter and running track in the spring. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and received the Most Dedicated award during the fall sports banquet.

“Trey is a great athlete, but an even better person,” said Scots head coach Richard Bailey. “He is a true student athlete who does a great job on the field but also in the classroom and out in the community.”

Trey finished his senior year of football with 10 catches for 128 yards and one touchdown. During the later half of the season, Trey moved from wide receiver to defensive back for the Scots because of his height and quickness.

With his jam packed high school course load and extra curriculars Trey doesn’t think that he’ll have any problem balancing being a college student and collegiate athlete.

“There is a certain amount of accountability and responsibility that comes along with it, but I think I can do it,” he said.

Amber Hatten-Staley can be reached at 910-506-3170 or [email protected].

Amber Hatten-Staley | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior Trey Dixon will continue his football career next fall at UNC-Pembroke as a wide receiver for the Braves.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_IMG_1069.jpgAmber Hatten-Staley | Laurinburg Exchange Fighting Scots senior Trey Dixon will continue his football career next fall at UNC-Pembroke as a wide receiver for the Braves.
Inks letter of intent with UNCP

By Amber Hatten-Staley

Sports editor