Houston Dash

Team information

Inaugural season: 2014

Home field: Shell Energy Stadium in Houston

Owner: Ted Segal

Team colors: orange, black, Columbia blue

Overview

The Houston Dash are a professional women’s soccer team based in Houston, Texas. They have played in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) since 2014. They compete at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, which seats twenty-two thousand fans. It was the only soccer-specific Major Soccer League (MSL) stadium in a city’s downtown. The Houston Dash are owned by a group headed by Ted Segal that also owns and operates the Houston Dynamo, a men’s soccer team. The team’s colors—orange, black, and Columbia blue—stand for enthusiasm, power, and trustworthiness.

History

Prior to the existence of the Houston Dash, the Houston area was already home to one successful soccer franchise: the Houston Dynamo, a men’s soccer team. The owners of this team wondered if bringing a women’s soccer team to the area would be similarly successful, especially since the region was lacking in professional women’s sport leagues. They hoped that Houston soccer fans would show the same enthusiasm for a women’s team as they did for the Houston Dynamo.

In 2013, the group that owns the Houston Dynamo, of which real-estate mogul Ted Segal is the majority shareholder, began searching for funding to create a team for the established National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). At the time, eight teams existed within the young league, which began its first season in 2013. Once they secured funding, the group announced the creation of the Houston Dash, the first official expansion team added to the NWSL. Though the creators of the team initially intended to name it after the Houston Dynamo, they were unable to secure permission due to specific trademarks. Instead, the team creators hoped that the word “dash” would evoke the same feeling in fans while retaining a connection to Houston’s popular men’s team.

During its first draft, the Houston Dash secured forward Kealia Ohai, midfielder Brittany Bock, and goalkeeper Erin McLeod. The franchise secured former professional soccer player Randy Waldrum as its first head coach. The team then prepared for its inaugural season.

The Houston Dash joined the NWSL for the 2014 season, the league's second season. The Dash competed against the eight other teams in the league on a twenty-four-game schedule. Though Houston locals had high hopes for their new team, the Houston Dash faced many challenges during its inaugural season. The Dash won 5 games, secured 3 draws, and lost 16 games, finishing in last place. However, despite its difficult start, the Houston Dash quickly grew in popularity. Fans flocked to see the first professional women’s soccer team in Houston, and the low ticket prices helped ensure that its home games remained packed.

The Houston Dash began its second season in April 2015. During the draft, the team secured midfielder Morgan Brian. They began the season with a win over the Washington Spirit, then secured a draw against the Sky Blue FC. At the end of their second season, the Houston Dash ranked fifth in the NWSL, with 6 wins and 6 draws, narrowly missing qualification for the NWSL Playoffs.

During the 2015 season, members of the Houston Dash continued to build their popularity with the people of Houston. They were known to interact with fans, signing autographs after the games and making time to talk regardless of whether they had won. Additionally, three members of the Houston Dash were named to the US World Cup team, and three others were on the Canadian World Cup team.

The Houston Dash once again finished with 6 wins in 2016. During the 2017 season, the team was one better with 7 wins. That same year, Waldrum left his position as head coach. Omar Morales served as interim coach from May to November 2017. The Houston Dash found a new official head coach in Vera Pauw, a former professional soccer player from the Netherlands. Under Pauw, the Dash placed sixth in the 2018 season, winning 9 games.

Pauw left the team after the 2018 season and was replaced by James Clarkson, who had previously worked with the Houston Dynamo. Under their new coach’s leadership, the Dash won 7 games and finished in seventh place.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. To prevent the spread of the disease, the NWSL decided to cancel both the regular season and the playoffs. Later in the year, the league hosted the 2020 Challenge Cup. This tournament marked a return to regular soccer for most teams in the league and was open to all teams in the NWSL. Because the Houston Dash had never even qualified for the playoffs, many experts assumed that the team would perform badly. However, the team quickly won new fans as it advanced through the tournament, eventually winning the finals. Dash player Rachel Daly was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.

The 2021 season saw the Dash amass 9 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses, ending in seventh place. The team's best season to date was 2022, when it finished in fourth place with a 10-6-6 record. The Dash landed in tenth place in 2023, ending the season 6-8-8.

Notable players

The Houston Dash has had a large roster of notable soccer players from various countries. This includes Daly, an athlete originally from England. While playing for St. John’s University during her second year of college, Daly started in every game and set numerous records. This included most points and most single-season goals, earning Daly the title of NSCAA All-American. In 2016, the Houston Dash drafted Daly from college. In 2018, she was voted team MVP and two years later was named captain. She won the Golden Boot for the 2020 Challenge Cup and was named the MVP of the tournament.

Christine Nairn attended Pennsylvania State University, and then played for the Washington Freedom Futures in the W-League. In 2012, she played for the semi-professional club ASA Chesapeake Charge, and then was drafted by the Seattle Reign FC during the first round of the NWSL Draft. She remained with the team for the 2013 season, and then was traded to the Washington Spirit for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons. In 2017, Nairn returned to the Seattle Reign FC but was traded to the Orlando Pride. Finally, in 2019, Nairn was traded to the Houston Dash, where she participated in the 2020 Challenger Tournament. Nairn performed admirably during her career, especially distinguishing herself during her time with the Houston Dash. In September 2021, the athlete retired to pursue a career as a professional firefighter.

Lindsay Agnew is an athlete from Ontario, Canada. She began playing soccer at a young age and played for Ohio State University from 2013 through 2016. In 2017, she was drafted by the Washington Spirit and during the next year was traded Agnew to the Houston Dash in exchange for the third overall pick of the season. In 2019, Agnew competed in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, reaching round sixteen in the tournament.

Haley Hanson is an American soccer player. After playing for the University of Nebraska, Hanson was drafted by the Houston Dash in 2018. That same year, she was called to participate on the US Women’s National Team. In August 2018, she played for the United States U-23 team.

Jane Campbell first began playing competitive soccer as a child, and quickly rose to prominence after winning the under-14 state title of the North Atlanta Soccer Association. She attended Stanford University, where she played for the Stanford Cardinal. In 2017, Campbell was drafted by the Houston Dash. In 2018, she played for the United States U-23 team, alongside her teammate Hanson. In 2020, she competed in the Summer Olympics as a member of the US Women’s national team. Her team took third place, winning a bronze medal. Campbell remained the starting goalkeeper for the Dash into the 2024 season.

The Dash was well represented in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Sophie Schmidt, Allysha Chapman, Nichelle Prince, Michelle Alozie, Havana Solaun, Andressa Alves, and Paulina Gramaglia represented five countries at the games.

Bibliography

Ambrose, Amber. “The Houston Dash.” Downtown Houston, 1 June 2015, www.downtownhouston.org/news/article/houston-dash/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

“Dash MF Christine Nairn Announces Retirement.” HoustonDynamoFC.com, 15 Sept. 2021, www.houstondynamofc.com/news/dash-mf-christine-nairn-announces-retirement. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

Geary, Molly. “The Houston Dash’s Five-Step Process to Flip the Script and Build an Unbreakable Circle.” SI Soccer, 8 Apr. 2021, www.si.com/soccer/2021/04/08/houston-dash-nwsl-challenge-cup-2021-season-campbell-clarkson. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

Haas, Johanna. “What Every NWSL Team’s Jersey Colors Mean.” Girls Soccer Network, 3 Mar. 2021, girlssoccernetwork.com/what-every-nwsl-teams-jersey-colors-mean/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2021.

"Houston Dash." ESPN, 2024, www.espn.com/soccer/club/‗/id/17346/houston-dash. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

"Houston Dash." National Women's Soccer League, 2024, www.nwslsoccer.com/team/houston-dash/stats?season=1y6f8h7azok4tqvz2qno41btg. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Houston Dash Stats and History.” FBREF.com, 2024, fbref.com/en/squads/e813709a/history/Houston-Dash-Stats-and-History. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

La Bella, Patty. “W-League/NWSL Quick Guide – Houston Dash.” Beyond 90, 22 Mar. 2019, beyond90.com.au/w-league-nwsl-quick-guide-houston-dash/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

Verar, Bianca. “Five Critical Moments in Houston Dash History.” The Striker Texas, 1 Feb. 2021, www.thestrikertexas.com/2021/01/29/five-critical-moments-in-houston-dash-history. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

Wendlandt, Catherine. “Houston Dash Wins Its First Championship.” Houstonia, 27 July 2020, www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-city-life/2020/07/houston-dash-wins-2020-nwsl-challenge-cup. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.

Winkler, Adam. "Houston Dash, NWSL Put Top Talent on Display During Women's World Cup." ABC 13, 21 July 2023, abc13.com/houston-dash-national-womens-soccer-league-nswsl-2023-fifa-world-cup/13531195/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.