Reggae Girl Solaun joins Houston Dash
Published:Saturday | January 14, 2023 | 12:49 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
In the midst of a World Cup year, national senior women’s midfielder Havana Solaun is making a change in her professional adventure, joining National Women’s Soccer League outfit Houston Dash.
Solaun signed a two-year deal with the club, the deal becoming official on Wednesday after briefly going through the free agency period. Solaun joins the club after a two-year stint with the North Carolina Courage where she made 20 appearances for the club including 14 starts. This will be the fourth NWSL club in her career which included stints at the Washington Spirit and the Seattle Reign, her first NWSL club after being drafted 15th overall in the NWSL College Draft.
Solaun said that she hopes to further challenge herself in her new environment as well as be a factor in their pursuit of a title.
“I’m eager for the next stop in my soccer career to begin in Houston,” Solaun told the club website. “I have always strived to further challenge my skill set both on and off the field. I am grateful that the Houston Dash will be a part of that challenge as we aim to win a championship.”
Houston Dash general manager Alex Singer said that Solaun’s technical skills will be an asset to the team as well as the leadership that she will bring off the field.
“I am excited to welcome Havana to Houston. She is a dynamic midfielder who can operate box to box, is creative in small spaces, and breaks lines to create opportunities. Even more important, she is a true professional and her character will be an advantage to our group,” Singer told the club website. “We look forward to seeing what she does on both sides of the ball and having her join the group.”
Solaun joins the club at a time where she is contending to earn a place on the Reggae Girlz final roster for this Women’s World Cup which takes place this July in Australia and New Zealand. She was a part of the historic 2019 squad that competed in France and scored the team’s first ever goal at the finals in a 4-1 defeat to Australia in their final group game.
Solaun is currently with 27 other players in a six-day camp which started on Wednesday in Florida going through intensive work with head coach Lorne Donaldson as their preparations continue. The camp will conclude on Monday. The Reggae Girlz first assignment of the year will be next month in the Cup of Nations Tournament which will include World Cup co-hosts Australia, Spain and the Czech Republic