Houston Dash

Houston Dash
Nickname(s) Dash
Founded December 11, 2013 (2013-12-11)
Stadium BBVA Compass Stadium
Capacity 22,039
Owner Gabriel Brener
Oscar De La Hoya
Jake Silverstein
Ben Guill
President Chris Canetti
Head Coach "Vacant"
League National Women's Soccer League
2018 Overall: 6th
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Website Club website

The Houston Dash is a professional women's soccer team based in Houston, Texas. They joined the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the 2014 season.

History

Establishment

On November 19, 2013, the Houston Dynamo began talks in the initial stages with the intention of bringing a top flight women's professional soccer franchise to Houston.[1] Just a week later, the effort was bolstered when the Dynamo began accepting refundable deposits for a potential NWSL expansion team.[2] On December 11, 2013, the National Women's Soccer League awarded the Houston Dynamo and the city of Houston an expansion franchise.[3]

Team name, crest, and colors unveiled

During a press conference on December 12, 2013, Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti announced that the club would be named the Houston Dash and would share similar colors to the Dynamo: orange, black, and sky blue.[4] The crest features a soccer ball along with the words "Houston Dash" with sky blue lines in the background.[5] The name Dash refers to the fast running speed of a horse, which is a historical mode of transportation for Texans in the 1800s.[5]

Ownership and team management

Houston Dash is owned by the same ownership group as the Dynamo, Gabriel Brener, Jake Silverstein, Ben Guill, and multiple World and Olympic boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya.[6]

On December 23, 2013, Former Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching was named Managing Director, in charge of day-to-day duties on both the business and technical sides of under the supervision of Houston Dash and Dynamo team president Chris Canetti.[7]

On January 3, 2014, Randy Waldrum was named as the Dash's first head coach, having previously coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's soccer team to two national titles since joining the team in 1999.[8]

On May 29, 2017, Randy Waldrum and Houston Dash agreed to part ways. Assistant coach Omar Morales was named interim coach.[9]

On November 27, 2017 Vera Pauw was hired as the new head coach.[10] On September 20, 2018 Vera Pauw departed from the club.[11]

BBVA Compass Stadium is the current home of the Houston Dash and Dynamo.

Stadium

The Dash play their games at BBVA Compass Stadium, a stadium opened in May 2012, that features a 22,039-seat capacity. For the team's inaugural season, 7,000 seats in the lower seating bowl are available for home games.[12] When the stadium opened in 2012, it became the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer located in a city's downtown district.[13]

First team squad

As of June 18, 2018[14]
No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Jane Campbell  United States
2 Midfielder Michaela Hahn  United States
3 Defender Rachel Daly  England
4 Defender Allysha Chapman  Canada
5 Defender Janine van Wyk  South Africa
6 Midfielder Mana Shim  United States
7 Forward Kealia Ohai  United States
8 Defender Clare Polkinghorne  Australia
9 Midfielder Haley Hanson  United States
10 Midfielder Linda Motlhalo  South Africa
11 Forward Thembi Kgatlana  South Africa
12 Forward Veronica Latsko  United States
13 Forward Savannah Jordan  United States
14 Forward Nichelle Prince  Canada
16 Goalkeeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme  United States
17 Forward Kyah Simon  Australia
18 Defender Kimberly Keever  United States
19 Midfielder Kristie Mewis  United States
20 Forward Lindsay Agnew  Canada
21 Midfielder Taylor Comeau  United States
22 Defender Amber Brooks  United States
23 Midfielder Sofia Huerta  United States
30 Goalkeeper Bianca Henninger  Mexico

Head coach history

Name Tenure
Randy Waldrum January 3, 2014 – May 29, 2017
Omar Morales (interim) May 29, 2017– November 27, 2017
Vera Pauw November 27, 2017– September 20, 2018

Team officials

Senior club staff

  • President of Business Operations: Chris Canetti

Coaching staff

  • Head coach: "Vacant"
  • Assistant/Goalkeeper coach: Blair Quinn

Seasons

Season NWSL regular season Position NWSL
Playoffs
P W L D GF GA Pts
2014 245163234418 9th DNQ
2015 20686212624 5th DNQ
2016 206104292922 8th DNQ
2017 247143233924 8th DNQ
2018 249105353932 6th DNQ

DNQ = Did not qualify

Broadcasting

As of the 2017 season, Dash games are streamed exclusively by Go90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.[15] As part of a three-year agreement with A&E Networks, Lifetime broadcasts one NWSL Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons.[16][17] For the 2017 season, the Dash will be featured in five nationally broadcast Lifetime NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts on May 6, May 3, and September 23, 2017.[18]

During the 2014 season, games were broadcast locally on CSN TV in Houston.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ de Jesus Ortiz, Jose (November 19, 2013). "Dynamo pursue expansion franchise in women's league". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ Farley, Richard (November 21, 2013). "Houston Dynamo accepting refundable deposits for potential NWSL expansion team, and why it's a no-brainer for the league". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ Berman, Mark (December 11, 2013). "Houston and Dynamo land National Women's Soccer League team". KRIV. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  4. ↑ Lovell, Darrell (December 13, 2013). "Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti: Houston Dash's formation "will make soccer stronger"". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Houston Dynamo launch Houston Dash as expansion member of National Women's Soccer League". Houston Dynamo. December 12, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ De La Hoya on the way to Dynamo, HoustonDynamo.com, February 26, 2008
  7. ↑ Brian Ching named Houston Dash managing director, Houston Dash Communications, December 23, 2013
  8. ↑ Dash hire highly-acclaimed coach from Notre Dame to be their first head coach Archived January 3, 2014, at the Wayback Machine., My FOX Houston, January 3, 2014
  9. ↑ Purdy, Jacqueline. "Houston Dash, Randy Waldrum part ways". NWSL. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  10. ↑ "Dash hire Dutch legend Vera Pauw as head coach". chron.com. November 27, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  11. ↑ https://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2018/09/20/houston-dash-coach-vera-pauw-departs-club-return-holland
  12. ↑ Lauletta, Dan (December 12, 2013). "It's official — Houston Dash to join NWSL for 2014". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  13. ↑ Major League Soccer, L.L.C. "Dynamo Stadium 2012". Houston Dynamo. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Dash Players".
  15. ↑ "NWSL, go90 announce exclusive streaming partnership". Black and Red United (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Lifetime To Air National Women's Soccer League Games As A+E Networks Kicks In For Equity Stake". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  17. ↑ "A+E Networks, National Women's Soccer League Ink Major Deal". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Houston Dash to host three nationally televised games in 2017". Houston Dynamo. March 30, 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "Houston Dash unveil local television broadcast schedule". Houston Dynamo. March 17, 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
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