Houston Dash open preseason after adding another new player
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash began the 2025 preseason under new leadership, something goalkeeper Jane Campbell described as “turning a new page and writing a new book from scratch.” The club also continued adding to its roster, acquiring forward Messiah Bright earlier in the morning.
Houston send $100,000 of intra-league transfer funds and up to $50,000 in additional performance-based incentives to Angel City FC to acquire Bright, a former star at Texas Christian University. Bright was selected 21st overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft by the Orlando Pride and was a finalist for Rookie of the Year after scoring seven goals in her first pro season.
“Messiah is a dynamic player that can instantly change a match with her ability to create space and convert opportunities in the final third,” Dash President of Women’s Soccer, Angela Hucles Mangano said. “She is excited to play closer to home and help this team find a new identity this season and for years to come. We look forward to the impact she brings and how she continues to develop her game as she works with our staff.”
The 25-year-old spent the 2024 season in Los Angeles and appeared in 21 games. Bright played collegiately at TCU for five years, scoring 50 goals and adding 18 assists in 103 appearances for the Horned Frogs.
"I’m ecstatic to join this team and support the ambitious project they have for the upcoming season. I’m also grateful to continue my career closer to home and I look forward to sharing new experiences with family and friends at Shell Energy Stadium,” Bright said. “I’m excited to meet my new teammates and work with the technical staff to build a new identity for the Houston Dash.”
Bright will link up with her new team who began preseason today at Houston Sports Park. New head coach Fabrice Gautrat was pleased with the first session. "Overall, I am very, very pleased,” Gautrat told media after the team’s workout. “The attitude, the effort, the energy was there. It was a high tempo from the first second they were out there. So, very pleased with everyone's buy in with the group so far."
Gautrat has a big preseason ahead of him to get this Dash team ready for the 2025 season where they will look to climb the NWSL table. The new head coach said he met with the team earlier in the day to establish two main things. “First was a standards driven culture,” Gautrat said. “What that looks like outside the lines and inside the lines. Then we are going to start layering our team identity and what that looks like in every moment of the game."
The Dash began preseason with Ramona Bachmann and Yuki Nagasato yet to report to camp. The team has add four non-rostered invitees. Goalkeeper Liz Beardsley, midfielders Gianna Christiansen and Alexis Theoret, and forward Tori Waldeck have joined the team for the preseason. The team has six new additions in camp that they acquired this offseason. Goalkeeper Abby Smith, defender Christen Westphal, midfielders Danielle Colaprico, Delanie Sheehan, and Maggie Graham and USWNT forward Yazmeen Ryan begin their first camp in Houston.
One area of the team Gautrat will probably feel very comfortable with is the defense. Campbell returns in goal and the backline will bring back Paige Nielsen, Natalie Jacobs, Tarciane, Allysha Chapman, Jyllissa Harris, the returning Katie Lind, along with newcomer Christen Westphal. Campbell spoke about the importance of having some continuity on defense. "It's super important,” Campbell told the media. “In years past, a big red flag, I guess you would say, is that we've had tons and tons of change in our lineups and starting XI and our backlines, our coaching staff, you name it. We have these (players) coming back and that core group is still returning.”
The Dash finished at the bottom of the NWSL table last season and the old adage says “there’s nowhere to go but up.” Campbell knows the team has talent, they just need their compass. “I don't think it was because of a lack of effort or talent or anything like that,” Campbell said about falling short last season. “We just needed a little bit of direction. Coach Fabrice (Gautrat) coming in and with (the technical staff), the team in front of us and above us are going to give us a really, really good skeleton and a blueprint to work with. It's up to us to implement it.”
That implementation has begun as the Houston Dash now have the ball rolling on the 2025 season. The team will travel to California next month to compete in the Coachella Valley Invitatational as part of preseason camp. They will kick off the NWSL regular season on March 14 at Shell Energy Stadium against the Washington Spirit.
