Tag: houston dash

Former Notre Dame guard Pat Connaughton becomes father

Beautiful baby.

The season might be over for Milwaukee Bucks guard and Notre Dame legend [autotag]Pat Connaghton[/autotag], but he still is winning at life. Ryan Gareis, Connaughton’s fiancee and a player for the NWSL’s Houston Dash, has announced on Instagram that the two have become parents after the birth of their son Crew Leo. Look at this post and say these two aren’t thrilled to have a baby:

https://www.instagram.com/ryangareis/p/C6o9_YdPYHI/?img_index=1

Not only is this kid is going to have some serious athletic genes, but he will have some loving parents to bring him up. While they will continue to be professional athletes for as long as they are able, he will be their top priority from now on. You can see the love in their eyes.

So congratulations to the happy couple as they embark on this next stage of life’s journey. Some things are more important than sports, and this is a perfect demonstration of that.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Sources: San Diego Wave lands Sanchez in trade from Houston Dash

The Mexico international requested a trade and has now been dealt to the Wave

Houston Dash forward Maria Sánchez has been traded to the San Diego Wave, multiple sources have confirmed to Pro Soccer Wire. 

Houston will receive $300,000 in a transfer fee and $200,000 in allocation money from San Diego, plus two years of an international roster spot in exchange.

The $500,000 total makes it the largest fee paid for an intra-NWSL transfer.

Last weekend, ESPN reported that Sánchez had handed in a transfer request, sending shockwaves through the league. On Saturday, San Diego confirmed the terms of the deal.

Sánchez confirmed on Thursday that she had requested a trade, after only signing a new contract worth up to $1.5 million in December. The 28-year-old was a restricted free agent and at the time, her deal was the richest in the NWSL.

The Wave were understood to be one of the teams interested in Sánchez during the offseason, but the winger would ultimately re-sign with the Dash.

In a statement on social media announcing her trade request, Sánchez said that the affair had “taken a toll” on her and she wanted to be traded in a “timely manner.”

Friday’s trade came just hours before the league’s midnight ET transfer deadline. If that deadline passed, Sánchez wouldn’t have been able to be traded until August 1.

Sources familiar with the situation said that the Mexico international took a meeting with Houston general manager Alex Singer and head coach Fran Alonso on March 27 to air her frustrations with the club.

Multiple clubs were in contact with the Dash over sealing a trade for Sánchez, but the Wave were able to get the deal over the line early on Friday afternoon.

After a chaotic few seasons in Houston where she played under five coaches including interims, Sánchez is heading to a more stable environment. After winning the 2023 NWSL Shield, San Diego extended head coach Casey Stoney’s contract through the 2027 season.

The Englishwoman won the NWSL’s Coach of the Year award in 2022 and has made the playoff semifinal in both of her two seasons so far. The Wave began the 2024 season by lifting another piece of silverware, the Challenge Cup. In regular season play, it has been a more level start (1W-1D-1L) for the California club.

Houston has gone 1W-1D-2L over the first four weeks of the NWSL season with many fans and pundits questioning Alonso’s deployment of Sánchez as a wingback. At the best times in her career, Sánchez has been a pure winger and will be expected to assume the role at her new club.

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Maria Sanchez confirms she wants ‘immediate trade’ away from Houston Dash

Sánchez wants out, and the clock is ticking ahead of Friday’s NWSL trade deadline

María Sánchez on Thursday night confirmed reports that she has requested a trade away from the Houston Dash, adding that she wants to leave the club with “immediate” effect.

ESPN initially reported on Sunday that Sánchez, just five months after signing a three-year contract with Houston valued around roughly $1.5 million, had submitted a formal trade request.

The Mexico star took to social media on Thursday to confirm that report, reiterating her desire to leave the Dash in short order. Teams must complete trades within the NWSL by midnight Eastern on Friday, or wait until August 1 to proceed.

“This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade,” Sánchez posted on X.

“The club has been aware of this since late March and my expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade.”

Upon signing her deal with the Dash in December, Sánchez — who entered last winter’s offseason as a restricted free agent — was at the time the highest-paid player in the entire NWSL.

However, per the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed by the NWSL and NWSL Players Association, the Dash were allowed to match any offer another team in the league tendered to Sánchez. A Houston side that struggled for goals throughout 2023 could scarcely afford to lose the Mexico winger, widely considered the club’s best attacking player.

Sánchez has started all four games this season for the Dash, posting one assist. Houston is in 11th place on four points, and is tied with the Portland Thorns (who just announced a coaching change) for the league’s worst defensive record.

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Houston Dash fire goalkeeper coach Lampson over reported relationship with player

An investigation found Lampson violated the NWSL Anti-Fraternization Policy and Coach Code of Conduct

The Houston Dash have fired goalkeeper coach Matt Lampson amid a reported relationship with a player, the NWSL has confirmed.

The Equalizer reported on Wednesday that Lampson’s alleged relationship with the unnamed player began at the end of 2023, with the Dash’s front office becoming aware of it at the beginning of 2024.

Lampson’s last involvement with the Dash came during the NWSL Draft on January 12. By the beginning of preseason on January 29, the 34-year-old was no longer with the team.

In a statement provided to The Equalizer and other outlets, the league confirmed Lampson’s termination.

Following an investigation into allegations of NWSL policy violations the Houston Dash announced the termination of Goalkeeper Coach Matthew Lampson’s employment.

The investigation, conducted by a third-party attorney engaged jointly by NWSL and the Houston Dash, examined third-party reports of Lampson crossing professional boundaries with a Dash player. During the investigation, Lampson was subsequently placed on administrative leave.

The investigator determined that Lampson violated the NWSL Anti-Fraternization Policy and NWSL Coach Code of Conduct which require coaches to maintain strict adherence to professional boundaries but did not find a violation of the NWSL Anti-Harassment Policy which is focused on preventing abusive, discriminatory, or harassing behavior.

As a result of the findings, Lampson’s employment has been terminated by the Houston Dash. Furthermore, the NWSL has suspended Lampson from future employment within the League through the end of the 2024 season due to these violations and lack of full cooperation.

To be eligible for future employment within the League, Lampson must acknowledge wrongdoing, participate in NWSL mandated training, and demonstrate a commitment to correcting his behavior, as determined by the Commissioner.

Lampson was hired by the Dash in 2022 after playing 10 seasons in MLS, spending time with the Chicago Fire, Minnesota United, LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew.

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NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Pure chaos takes hold as Portland Thorns retake league lead

Nothing is ever what it seems in the NWSL

Does anyone want to win the NWSL Shield this season?

That’s the question at this point, after first place exchanged hands yet again. In the last 11 rounds of games, we’ve woken up on Monday with a new team atop the table eight different times. The Portland Thorns’ triumph over Cascadia rivals OL Reign, coupled with the San Diego Wave stumbling against a Kansas City Current side that kicked off in last place, gave us yet another change in the race for the Shield.

Let’s take a quick look at this insightful video that explains how this entire season has felt.

The Thorns do appear to be this season’s “best” team, whether you approach it from the eyeball test, data, or results. Portland can hit heights no one else can hit, and have shaken off Sophia Smith’s injury thanks to Best XI candidate Morgan Weaver.

However, as impressive as the Thorns can be, there are only 11 points separating Portland from the Chicago Red Stars in 12th. A team that hasn’t won a regular season game since June has nonetheless stayed above the playoff line all season. There are three rounds of games to go, and no one has been eliminated or clinched a postseason berth.

NWSL chaos, never change.

Houston Dash sack Laity during first season as head coach

The former OL Reign assistant was unable to get Houston’s offense on track in 2023

After less than a full season in charge, Sam Laity has been fired as Houston Dash head coach.

The Dash made the announcement on Wednesday, three days after the club fell 1-0 at the San Diego Wave for its eighth consecutive league match without a win.

The club said an interim would be named in the coming days.

“We have high ambitions and continuously work to build a competitive team that will represent the city at a high level. After considerable evaluation as to what is best for the team at this time, we made the decision to make a change,” Dash general manager Alex Singer said in a club release.

“On behalf of the club, community, and our team, I want to thank Sam for his dedication and contributions to our organization. We sincerely wish him all the best.”

Defeat to San Diego left the Dash sitting in 10th place out of 12 NWSL teams, six points out of a playoff spot with just four matches to play.

Despite an attack featuring talented individuals like Diana Ordóñez, Ebony Salmon, María Sánchez and Michelle Alozie, Houston has only scored 12 goals in 18 league matches this season — by far the lowest total in the NWSL.

That lack of offensive firepower has put the Dash in the position they are in, even though the club also has a league-best 15 goals allowed this season.

Laity was hired prior to the 2023 season after spending a decade as an assistant with the OL Reign.

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NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Playoff race tension grows after Racing Louisville, Angel City both win

No team can ever relax in the NWSL

The NWSL is built to ensure late-season drama.

There’s no other conclusion to reach after another weekend that could have blown the standings wide open instead drew the entire table closer together. For the second time in recent weeks, the schedule set things up for the top six to largely push the bottom six adrift. Four of the six games over the weekend paired a team in a playoff position up against a team on the outside looking in.

And just like last time, the results largely skewed towards a tighter, more tense race. Racing Louisville and Angel City FC got big wins to keep pace, the Washington Spirit had a surprising stumble at home, and the only match between teams in playoff position ended up somehow being a bonkers 3-3 draw.

With four games to play, the gap from top to bottom is only 11 points. The teams in seventh and eighth are within six points of first. If you pull up Google’s NWSL standings and look over at the “last five” column, you’ll see more red X images signaling a loss for the teams in the top six (12) than in the bottom six (eight).

The seatbelt sign for this NWSL season should be flashing, because we’re about to have a turbulent landing.

NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Sophia Smith injury looms as playoff pressure ramps up

Bad news for Portland, while Angel City picked up a huge win

The NWSL regular season returned from its World Cup slumber last week, but with several big names not truly ready to come back just yet, it was only this past weekend where the league felt truly “back.”

There were major developments: multiple draws for teams in the top six, paired with Angel City’s win over OL Reign, breathed life into the race for the final playoff spots. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t start off with the league-wide show of support for Jenni Hermoso and the players of Spain’s World Cup-winning national team.

“Contigo Jenni” was on wrist tape all over the league, while fans — and not only those in supporters’ groups — brought banners reading the same. This is a league that knows all too well how vital it is to push abusive figures out of the game, and the resumption of club play isn’t going to mean the issues with Luis Rubiales, Jorge Vilda, and their enablers in Spain are going to be pushed aside.

That said, a different unfortunate piece of news bubbled up this weekend, with Sophia Smith suffering a knee injury of (as yet) unknown severity. An injury to the runaway MVP favorite is hardly the news anyone out there wanted, and it could change the entire complexion of this season’s stretch run.

Let’s sort through the good and the bad:

NWSL Weekend Take-Off: Orlando Pride serves notice, broadcast woes are back

We see you, Orlando Pride

The World Cup is over, but the drama is not, because the NWSL is already back.

We’re not just getting to loosen up and ease into the league’s return, either. The NWSL stretch run is literally here, with each team down to its final six games. The standings are packed tightly, and the next few weeks before the September FIFA window are going to feel like a full-on sprint.

Some teams were fully prepared to get moving at full speed. With four teams outside the playoff places hosting games over the weekend, this was a huge opportunity for most of the league to either get seriously into the mix, or for teams in the top six to keep the chasing pack at bay.

The Orlando Pride got off the line fastest with a blowout victory, while the Kansas City Current came up with a gutsy win that effectively kept their playoff hopes alive. Racing Louisville and the Houston Dash came back to get draws, but neither side is in a place where home draws are going to get the job done.

We’re going to be attempting a format experiment here, at least with the next couple of Take-Offs. The hope is that with a little streamlining, the column is more easily digested. We’re thinking less of a minivan and more of a hatchback.

And with that in mind, let’s get this car on the road.

When will World Cup players return for NWSL teams?

Notes on returning World Cup players from all 12 NWSL teams

The World Cup may still have a final and third-place game to finish, but the NWSL is done waiting.

The league’s break from regular season play concludes Friday, with the Kansas City Current and OL Reign kicking off a full slate of matches.

It’s awkward timing, with a few players still participating at the World Cup, others still recovering from a physically and mentally grueling process, and yet more having come back quickly after the group stage. With 61 different NWSL players going to the World Cup, there are probably 61 unique situations to deal with here.

Pro Soccer Wire knows fans want to know when their team’s internationals will be back in uniform, so we’ve done the relevant social media research and Zoom press conference recording. Consider this a status update for all 61 World Cup participants as the NWSL playoff chase truly gets underway.