As Italian international Lisa Boattin is starting to find out, everything’s bigger in Texas. Now, she wants to make sure the Houston Dash become one of those big things everyone keeps talking about. 

The veteran defender joined the Dash via a transfer from Serie A Women’s Juventus where she played since 2017, and fresh off a EUROs semifinal appearance with the Italian women’s national team. Now, her sights are set on the National Women’s Soccer League, and with the Dash just barely behind the playoff line, she knows she has to go big with her new team to fight for that berth. 

“The playoff format is great, it’s extra motivation,” Boattin exclusively told The Equalizer. “You can finish anywhere in the top eight and still have the chance to win it all. This for me is a motivation to believe. It’s the beauty of this league.”

The change from Europe to the United States couldn’t be more palpable for the 28-year-old defender from Portagruaro, Italy. From the NWSL’s intense style of play to the local Texas cuisine, there’s a lot to adapt to. After a year she describes as a bit different for her – both on and off the pitch – the opportunity to play in the NWSL couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

The playoff field has its first confirmed guest, and transfer rumors are swirling over Angel City. Meanwhile, the Sphere of Mediocrity grows ever larger.

Here’s how they shape up after most of Week 18:

Cream of the Crop

x-Kansas City Current (15-2-1, 46 pts; vs Courage, 2-0):  Temwa Chawinga did not score against the North Carolina Courage, but neither did the Courage. That leaves Chawinga with 11 goals while the Current have conceded only 10. Kayla Sharples continues to stay in the discussion for Defender of the Year, and even as it has taken Ally Sentnor some time to fully integrate into the attack, the defense has become a well-oiled machine, and the win over the Courage made the Current the first team to secure an official invite to the 2025 playoffs. The only bad news is that Esther Gonzalez scored for Gotham to edge ahead of Chawinga in the Golden Boot race.

9.) North Carolina prove progress is impossible without change

The Courage endured a nightmare start to its 2025 campaign, earning just two points from an available 15. The early crisis in Cary prompted tweaks to North Carolina’s trademark playing style. Under head coach Sean Nahas, the Courage has become famous for its silky, dynamic, possession-dominant play. But with such a style failing to yield results, North Carolina has since swapped its obsession with possession for pragmatism. It adjusted its formation to a three-back system to enable more stability in midfield and wide areas.

The changes have paid off. The Courage have accrued an impressive 5-2-1 record in the interim, and are tied on points with the current eighth place holders Gotham. Courage forward Manaka Matsukobo has particularly profited, scoring a team-leading four goals and notching four assists in the last five matches. 

North Carolina’s late comeback win over the Houston Dash in the final matchday before the summer break symbolizes its first half of the season. It overcame an early deficit to score two unanswered goals in the closing 20 minutes. Forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Hannah Betfort both broke their goal-scoring ducks with the vital goals. According to the sports analytics service Opta, the Courage now lead the league in points gained from a losing position, with eight.  

10.) Bay FC find themselves in the messy middle

So close, yet so far. Bay FC feel like a protypical mid-table club in that they often outplay opponents this season, yet they do not have the points to show for it. Only once has Bay conceded more than two goals in a match and lost by more than a two-goal margin — and that was away at imperious Kansas City. Bay FC often hangs tough in games but simply cannot deliver the goods when it matters most. They own the third-worst big chance conversion record, per Opta. Asisat Oshoala remains mired in ‘bust’ territory with zero goals or assists on the season.

Bay FC are on a quest for consistent form, as Albertin Montoya’s side has not yet strung together consecutive wins or draws this season. Bay FC will need to discover another missing piece to its jigsaw to return to the playoffs. 

11.) Can Angel City discover its mettle?

Head coach Alexander Straus officially joined Angel City from Frauen-Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on June 1. In the three matches Straus has overseen, Angel City have lost twice and drawn once. For context, Straus only experienced two Bayern Munich league losses in the entirety of the three seasons in which he helmed the club. Perhaps it is a culture shock, a deficient squad, or a glaring symbol of the parity absent in other global leagues. Regardless, Angel City has yet to benefit from a new manager bounce and currently sits three points outside the playoff position. 

Notably, since Savy King’s horrifying on-field medical event on May 9, Angel City has yet to pick up a win or keep a clean sheet. Straus is tasked with helping Angel City strike a more even balance between attack and defense. Led by rookie Riley Tiernan and starlet Alyssa Thompson, Angel City are the only team outside the top four with 20 goals to its name. However, they have conceded the third most goals in the league, with 58% of its shipped goals occurring in the second half. It has certainly been a tough go, but Angel City will need to emerge from the international break with resolve and resilience. 

12.) Houston Dash fail to launch, again

The Houston Dash has been plagued by mediocrity through the entirety of its existence. Only once in its 11-year history has the Dash qualified for the postseason. Based on results and performances at the midway point, the Dash appear to remain on that turgid trajectory.

Despite several splashy off-season pick-ups such as Yazmeen Ryan, Delanie Sheehan, and Messiah Bright as well as a spate of promising early performances, Houston has reverted to the mean. They are now seven points adrift of a playoff spot. Matchday 13 saw Jane Campbell return to the net and reclaim her captaincy after a five-match stretch that saw her dropped in favor of Abby Smith. However, it did not spur a positive result, as the Dash failed to protect a lead against North Carolina and came away with zero points following another late collapse. Similarly, in early June, the Dash were seconds away from securing an impressive point away at Orlando before capitulating in 90’+9. Houston now dubiously lead the NWSL with most points dropped from a winning position, with 8. 

Though avoiding another last place finish would technically be an improvement from 2024, more was expected from Houston.

13.) Has Chicago already hit its ceiling?

Despite losing taliswoman Mallory Swanson to maternity leave, few could have foreseen the depth of Chicago’s despair in 2025. Chicago’s 6-0 mauling at the hands of the Orlando Pride in the season opener appears to have been a harbinger for the poor season ahead. The 2024 playoff side have been seemingly locked in 13th place thus far this season, with just a single victory and three draws through the halfway point. 

The dismissal of head coach Lorne Donaldson after an abysmal 1-6-1 start was met with mixed reaction, as some observers believed Donaldson was the scapegoat for an insufficient squad. Since the promotion of former assistant coach Masaki Hemmi to an interim role, the Stars have shown scant signs of life. Despite some positive passages of play, the Stars have only picked up six points of a possible 33. It appears Chicago is in need of a meaningful roster upgrade in order to avoid a lost season.    

14.) Will Coenraets survive the summer?

The Utah Royals sit bottom of every statistical category — fewest points, fewest goals scored, most goals allowed, and worst XG difference. Its lone win of the season came against fellow cellar dwellers the Chicago Stars back in April. While a brutal injury list has contributed to the Royals’ underperformance, the team’s lack of any forward momentum and management’s stubborn insistence on a particular style of play is concerning. 

Last year Utah endured a similarly turgid start to the season, collecting just four points through the opening 14 matches of its inaugural season. It cost then-head coach Amy Rodriguez her job. Jimmy Coenraets helped right the ship, as Utah went on to snatch 17 points out of a possible 27. The 30 year-old was rewarded with a contract that would make him permanent head coach through 2027. 

However, Utah currently lay claim to even fewer points than it had when Rodriguez earned the sack last season. The climb out of last place after the international break does not get any easier. Utah will face a thankless run-in at the restart, as four of its next five opponents currently occupy playoff positions. Will Utah’s ownership show Coenraets grace, or opt to make a second successive mid-season coaching change? 

There were lots of good goals in the National Women’s Soccer League over the weekend. Messiah Bright’s equalizer for the Dash against Bay FC probably wouldn’t make a highlight reel of the Top 5. But it was an interesting goal nonetheless, and unlike many others, not entirely on account of a defensive blunder.

This one started, not with a defensive blunder, but with a Jordan Silkowitz free kick that went a long way but ultimately landed out of bounds. Dash throw in.

They took the throw-in backwards and here’s where the sequence began. Nothing special about this position for the Dash. In fact the trend around the NWSL of late is for this sort of scenario to lead to a turnover and chance for Bay. Note how six of their 10 outfield players are positioned to make it particularly difficult to play out. We can see the other four, but a few moments later we can see that all 10 are on the near side. The Dash could have tried to switch the point, or play through.

Six weeks down in the National Women’s Soccer League season, and the rookies are already showing out. 

Let’s take a look at some of the top rookies so far this season:

Maggie Graham, Houston Dash 

Through the first six weeks of the season, Houston’s Maggie Graham has been a standout. Named Rookie of the Month for March, Graham got her first NWSL goal in the team’s opening weekend against the Washington Spirit. Then again, in the second week, the midfielder got a goal against Chicago in the team’s 2-1 win on what was essentially her first touch after being subbed in. She’s just the third rookie in NWSL history to score back-to-back goals in their first two NWSL games. 

The last time the Houston Dash won their opening game of the season was in 2017, when goals from club legends Kealia Watt and Rachel Daly saw off the Chicago (then-Red) Stars. Last Friday’s opening day 2-1 loss to the Washington Spirit therefore continued a long-running trend.

Yet while the outcome was familiar, the big story here was not the result, but a performance that suggests the Dash have finally got their game face on.

One game in, and this season already presents a stark contrast to its predecessor. Last year, Houston hired Fran Alonso, whose stated aim was to “implement a brave, exciting, dynamic and dominant style of play”. He brought the system he’d enjoyed success with at Celtic in Scotland to the United States, but didn’t have the squad for it. Players were out of position, the soccer was incoherent and ineffective, and an opening 5-1 defeat away to the North Carolina Courage was a warning sign of a tough campaign ahead.

It was exciting alright, just not for Dash supporters.

Within three months, Alonso was mysteriously absent. By October he was gone, and Houston rang the changes. Fabrice Gautrat came in as his successor, and the difference in language and approach was immediately obvious. Where Alonso talked of entertainment, winning and a specific style, Gautrat spoke of building a culture, improving the standards in training, developing players and ensuring clarity in every game scenario. Alonso zoned in on form; Gautrat on function.

New kits can only mean one thing: Kit rankings! Who delivered and which clubs got it totally wrong? Allow me to do my annual moonlighting as a fashion critic, through the lens of an NWSL expert.

We’re going worst to first here on each new kit:

14. Chicago Stars

Look, some of this is about a rebrand that is a downgrade and never needed to happen, but the kit itself is also a far cry from the days of standard-setting creativity found in the “Elevated” kit or even the “Foundation” kit. Chicago once set the bar in branding and kits. Now, the “Stars” have “liquid metal-like patterns symbolizes the relentless intensity that lies within.”

Luckily, their primary jersey is great. Here’s to hoping they were that blue one as much as possible in 2025.

13. NJ/NY Gotham FC

Gotham and Nike got it right by going back to the Sky Blue FC roots with this color palette, and that should be the standard going forward. The light blue and black play off each other nicely, and they will always contrast enough to serve as the primary color of a separate kit.

That said, it’s impossible to look past the shoulder-pad vibes here. Are shoulder pads in again? I’m saying no.

12. North Carolina Courage

Utilizing a bold red — an actual color in the team crest — is a step up from last year’s dip into the world of pink, and the marketing around this jersey as having “subtle rosettes, the unique markings found on lionesses — symbols of both power and grace,” all sounds great.

From a distance, however, those details are unlikely to show up, and this could look like the early NWSL days of red color blocks.

11. Racing Louisville FC

On the one hand, I like this kit. On the other hand, I want more from it.

I, among others, have been begging Louisville for a real take on a mint kit, and this is it from the club and Nike. The expectation around that was for a lighter, ‘minty’ green rather than this darker hue, but the team already has a light-colored kit, so this had to be a darker color.

Green and black go great together, so there’s that. They beat Boston and Denver to this colorway, too, so points to Louisville. Unfortunately, this is not really a mint kit, with the NWSL/Nike marketing even mentioning “hints of mint green.” It’s OK, but it isn’t a home run and seems off brand.

10. Washington Spirit

Obnoxiously bright yellow is back in the nation’s capital, and at least this time it looks better than last year’s gradient template that unfortunately had to be worn in a final.

Still, it’s hard to know what’s going on here. It has been two years since Spirit owner Michele Kang said the team’s black-and-white logo marked a “rebrand in progress.” Since then, they’ve stuck with black and loud yellow, but they haven’t made any big, formal announcements about long-term branding.

The yellow remains, and the best explanation we have is ‘just because.’ I really don’t hate it, although it’s hard not to see this as an Australia kit.

9. Houston Dash

Well, they certainly tried something different. The Dash will wear purple for the first time because… well, why not? Hard to say. Credit to the Dash for leaning into their recent ethos: “The kit represents organizing the chaotic energy to create a cosmic storm and a new beacon of hope for the club.”

I guess? There’s literally almost nothing they’d want to repeat about last year, so any fresh start is a good one. The socks stand out. I don’t love this having nothing to do with the actual Dash branding, but alternate jerseys are aloud to do that sometimes.

8. Bay FC

Speaking of on-brand, Bay FC gets its first kit in actual team colors in year two of operation. Last year’s offering was abysmal – so much so that the white jersey also got replaced in 2025 – but it was always going to be boring due to production cycles of two-plus years and a shorter timeline on an expansion decision.

Let’s focus on the new primary, the navy blue: The blue and red play off each other nicely, and the explanation that nine lines represent the nine counties of the Bay is at least something localized. However, the centered badge above the Nike Swoosh is bizarre.

7. Portland Thorns

This is a true middle-ground kit. Is it bad? No. Is it amazing or creative? Also no. Would I objectively wear it? Yes, I think so.

Portland is one of the most storied franchises in the NWSL, so consistency isn’t a bad thing. The Thorns have leaned into black as a primary for the better part of a decade now, and there’s nothing wrong with what they’ve done here. It is infinitely better than whatever that green kit was last year.

6. San Diego Wave

The water look might take some getting used to at first, but two things jump out about the design:

One, it actually exists. The loud pink alternate was cool and all, but it was just a gradient template like the rest of the league. This jersey at least tries to be something. Which leads to point No. 2.

The storytelling earns points here. San Diego won the entire 2024 kit rollout with its bold, colorful Del Sol Kit that represented the gorgeous skies of the area. This Altamar Kit represents the sea, completing the collection of sun and sea. What better describes San Diego?

5. Seattle Reign FC

Yes, it’s a white (sponsor-less) kit, but the gold accents and blue trim really make this Reign kit stand out.

This is a crisp, modern take on the classic Reign brand, one that was mercilessly chopped to pieces for a few years by its French overlords before returning last year. Maybe I’m guilty of nostalgia with rating this so highly, but I suspect I am not alone.

4. Utah Royals FC

Putting aside the sponsor here – which isn’t a heavy factor in the other kits – the actual design of the whole combination is great. The Utah mountains and terrain are always worth highlighting, the blue and yellow pop – great choice to go with yellow socks – and the use of a secondary logo really works well in this case, considering it is the shape of the state.

The designers don’t control the sponsors. This design and color combination gets high marks.

3. Angel City FC

Don’t call this black-and-white kit boring. It has a classic look with enough detail to be interesting, from the LA-area landmarks in the toile pattern to near-perfect execution of Sol Rosa pink accents. The V-neck was a very smart choice here.

If you had told me Angel City was going to ditch a Sol Rosa-based kit for white, I would have been mad. But seeing what they did makes a big difference. This is game-ready and street-ready, which should have mass appeal.

2. Orlando Pride

Remember how that one leaked image made it look like the Pride were going to wear blue? Me either.

Orlando’s new purple kit is going to be its primary, shifting the thoughtful peach outfit to its rightful place as a secondary kit. The purple hue is on point, the light blue accents – pulling from the original 2016 Lake Eola inspiration – are great complements, and the iridescent crest meant to represent the Shield and NWSL Championship double is a nice touch (still don’t like centered crests, though).

Take a look at all the new kits together, and Orlando’s really stands out, especially as Louisville leans away from purple — for now.

1. Kansas City Current

They just had to do it — and they finally did. Kansas City, the team whose motto was “Teal Rising” — with no other teams in the league utilizing teal — kept failing to deliver a truly teal kit. Now it’s here, and it should be a hit.

The details are cool, although (like others in this list) they won’t show up on TV: The Teal Town Kit features a map view of Kansas City and the Missouri River, and the Current’s crest sits over the location of CPKC Stadium.

It’s a distinct color. Who would have ever thought teal and red work? I was skeptical a few years ago, but the important thing is that they’ve owned it.

The array of kits ranges from unique colors, like the Kansas City Current rolling out an all-teal kit for the first time, to bold diversions like the Houston Dash wearing purple.

Importantly, the updates to the secondary kits (Bay FC and league champion Orlando Pride will wear their new jerseys as primary kits) give each team a completely customized collection for the first time in league history. Nike and the NWSL launched a new era of their 12-year partnership last year with a custom jersey for each team, but the 2024 secondary kits were all template holders as a bridge to get to these new kits in 2025. From here, teams are expected to get one new kit each year, alternating between primary and secondary.

Goalkeeper jerseys have also been updated in 2025.

For the first time, fans can purchase authentic versions of jerseys in addition to replicas, consistent with other major leagues. Replica jerseys will feature embroidered crests this year, an upgrade from the printed crests of previous years. The authentic jerseys feature more detail and higher-end material — and cost $100 more, coming in at $195 before any customization.

All players from the 2025 NWSL season will be available for customization in the NWSL’s shop, according to the league

The league also announced expanded sizing options for replica jerseys, ranging from extra small to double XL for women, and small to triple XL for men.

“This suite of jerseys, featuring bold designs, vibrant colors and accompanying lifestyle products like the anthem jacket, represent another key step in growing the NWSL’s footprint within the global marketplace,” said NWSL VP of consumer products Katie Eaton in a statement. “As we continue to elevate our product offerings, we’re focused on blending sport and lifestyle in ways that authentically connect with players and fans alike.”

HOUSTON — Yazmeen Ryan knows what a winning culture looks like. In four years in the National Women’s Soccer League, the versatile forward has won two NWSL Championships, an NWSL Shield and a Challenge Cup.

Her two league titles came in back-to-back years with different teams — the Portland Thorns and NJ/NY Gotham FC — but they each had similarities in their competitive approach to training, and the team’s desire to learn and grow.

Now, after a blockbuster move following her trade request, Ryan finds herself in preseason with the Houston Dash. For the second time in three years, she will be joining a team coming off a last-place finish that has never won an NWSL playoff game.

“I really wanted to push myself in that next step,” Ryan told The Equalizer following a recent training session at Houston Sports Park. “It was kind of the same thing when I left Portland. Not that the team doesn’t need me, but it was teams that weren’t stacked and had these great players already. It was more of a challenge for myself to come to a team that’s trying to build. I just really thrive with that.”

The Dash certainly have a lot of building to do. Last year may have been the culmination of a decade’s worth of poor league results. The club hired Fran Alonso, who installed a system completely unsuited to his roster. Then he mysteriously disappeared on a leave of absence on June 22. A cloud hung over the club as it languished at the bottom of the table. Alonso formally left the team Oct. 1, having never returned to Houston.

Segal also owns the MLS partner club Houston Dynamo and the two teams’ home venue, Shell Energy Stadium.

Segal only became majority owner of the Dash, Dynamo and Shell Energy Stadium in summer 2021.

NWSL team valuations have soared since. The expansion fee has climbed from about $2 million that year to $110 million for the team in Denver that will join the league in 2026. Franchise valuations have multiplied even more, from Seattle Reign’s $3.5 million sale in late 2019 to the recent $250 million valuation of Angel City FC.

Houston’s ownership group includes other minority investors, including former U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Tim Howard and NBA star James Harden.

A spokesperson for the Dash provided the following statement to The Equalizer:

“The Segal Family has started a process to explore potential changes in the ownership of the Houston Dash, which could include everything from inviting other investors to join our ownership group to a sale of the team, or no change at all. Importantly, this process will have no impact on our team’s operations or soccer-related decisions. We remain committed to ensuring the Dash is best positioned to receive more investment, improve the player experience and, most importantly, bring titles to our dedicated fanbase.”

The Dash entered the NWSL as an expansion team in 2014, one year after the league’s launch. Success has eluded the team on and off the field.

Attendance has been a constant struggle for the club. The Dash finished last in the NWSL in average attendance in 2024 with a little over 6,000 fans — just over a quarter of the capacity of Shell Energy Stadium.

Houston has made the playoffs only once, in 2022, when the team lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Dash won the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, a month-long competition held in Utah after the COVID-19 outbreak canceled the regular season.

Turnover has been a constant for the Dash. Angela Hucles Mangano and Fabrice Gautrat were recently hired as president of women’s soccer and head coach, respectively. Gautrat is the seventh person in charge of the team in three years.

Last year was a low point for the Dash. The team finished last in the 14-team NWSL. Alex Singer was fired as general manager in July. Fran Alonso was hired as head coach ahead of the 2024 season and disappeared from the sidelines in late June with little explanation. Twelve weeks later, and without ever re-appearing, the Dash terminated Alonso’s contract.