2020-21: Competed five times (two times at the App State Individual Quad, three times at the Wolfpack Round Robin) at 141 pounds.

2019-20: Went 19-12 as a redshirt freshman at 141 pounds … Third place in the freshman/sophomore division of the Southeast Open with a 3-2 decision against North Carolina’s Connor Alexander and fifth place at the Keystone Classic with a 5-2 record … Went 4-2 at the F&M Open and won twice at the National Collegiate Open.

2018-19: Redshirted … Wrestling unattached, went 10-11 with appearances at 133 and 141 pounds … Placed second at the Newberry Open.

High School: Three-time state champion, including state champ at 132 pounds in the 4-A classification as a senior, and a four-time state finalist … Also won the state title at 132 pounds as a junior and the state title at 106 pounds as a freshman. Finished second at 113 pounds as a sophomore … Posted a 198-5 record, including a 42-0 mark as a senior. Had records of 56-1 as a junior, 52-1 as a sophomore and 48-3 as a freshman. Four of his losses came at out-of-state tournaments … Helped Jefferson (where recent App State graduate Forrest Przybysz attended) extend its streak to 18 consecutive traditional state wrestling championships … Coached by Doug Thurmond at Jefferson … Club team coached by Robert Cline … Also won the "Freak Show" tournament in Las Vegas during his prep career.
 
Personal: Full name is Dawson Southerland Bates … Born Aug. 23, 1999 … Son of Byron and Dawn Bates … Has three siblings: Ariel, Kyle and Jared … Plans to major in business or mathematics.