 Born and raised in San Diego, Dodd attended Mira Mesa Senior High School for three years before transferring to University City High School for her senior year.Graduating from University City High in 2003, Dodd won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award as a senior.After high school, Dodd played for the United States women's junior national softball team in October 2003 for the Junior Women's Softball World Championship, at which the U.S. won silver.