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Sports

Area Graduate Returns in a Big Way

Melissa Dixon comes back to the Chicago area to push Iowa past NU.

Melissa Dixon, an academic and athletic standout at Johnsburg High School and a 2012 graduate, returned home, of sorts.

Currently enrolled at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and playing a starting guard position as a true freshman, Dixon displayed her hustle and both defensive and offensive capabilities in front of many home-grown fans when the team played Northwestern Feb. 23.

Dixon's signature three-point shooting was evident to the hundreds of Iowa fans, some from the Chicago area and some that trekked all the way from Iowa City and beyond to see their hustling women’s basketball team at work.

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Iowa topped the Wildcats 70-63.

Dixon’s parents, younger brother, friends from Johnsburg High School, friends from the Johnsburg community and a wave of Iowa fans braced the heavy snow warnings to see their team run their season record to 18-10.

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But after the game ended it was a few quick words with friends and relatives and then back to Iowa City and the challenges of a student-athlete attending class.

Obviously Dixon learned her lessons well at Johnsburg High School: she can dribble a basketball, but more importantly she can balance playing Big 10 women’s basketball and the academic requirements that go along with it.

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