Another one of NJ/NY Gotham FC’s major contributors to its 2023 NWSL Championship squad is out the door. First, it was the NWSL’s all-time leading goal scorer Lynn Williams headed to the Pacific Northwest just days before Christmas. Now, it’s the 25-year-old Yazmeen Ryan, the versatile attacker coming off a career club campaign joining the league’s basement dwellers from last season – the Houston Dash.
Ryan becomes the latest member of the Dash in a trade from the Northeast outfit, moving to a city that resides less than 500 miles away from her hometown – Norman, Oklahoma.
The Texas side also acquired $80,000 in intra-league transfer funds for the 2025 season from Gotham. In the other direction, it sent an astounding $400,000 in allocation money plus an international roster spot in 2025.
The $400,000 is the second-largest cash total included in a single deal within the league, behind only the Maria Sanchez exchange, which saw San Diego Wave FC send $500,000 ($300,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $200,000 in allocation money) to the Dash in late April.
She’s here, she’s there, she’s everywhere!@yazmeenryan‘s bringing championship caliber experience to the midfield 🤘 pic.twitter.com/GVbunf9LDB
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) December 27, 2024
Houston, a club still trying to establish some sense of stability, had plenty of allocation money to spend – a resource that will be eliminated from the league following the 2026 calendar year.
After two seasons with Gotham FC, Ryan requested a move away from the club, as first reported by The Athletic. While no official reason was given for her requested departure, the move adds to growing questions about the club’s internal dynamics. Despite losing key attacking talent, Gotham’s willingness to honor both transfer requests demonstrates a player-first approach to roster management.
One can only assume that she not only wanted to be closer to home but also near where she competed collegiately – Texas Christian University. TCU is just under a 265-mile drive south of Houston.
How can Yazmeen Ryan bring a necessary spark to the Houston Dash’s attack?
After a fourth-place finish in 2022 – the franchise’s highest finish – Houston has failed to surpass the 20 goals-scored mark in consecutive campaigns. The flashes of offensive brilliance are there. The consistency just isn’t, and Ryan is going to be a solution to that.
The Oklahoma native compiled 12 regular season goal involvements – six goals and six assists – in 3,406 minutes in Gotham colors.
She played a key role in the New Jersey-based side’s championship season in 2023 before piecing together a stellar 2024 which saw her garner the attention of Emma Hayes and the USWNT. Ryan received her first senior national team call-up in October, entering the pitch for her first cap in a 3-1 triumph over Iceland. So far, she has appeared in four senior international matches, most notably coming off the bench to completely change the complexion of the England friendly.
Debuts to remember 🙌
A look back at Hal Hershfelt and Yazmeen Ryan’s first #USWNT appearances in ATX ⬇ pic.twitter.com/jMS7Q9OOC1
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) November 10, 2024
The former top-six selection by Portland Thorns FC was one of only 14 players with at least 10 goal contributions last year. Add on the fact that only MVP candidates Marta and Temwa Chawinga managed to amass a greater number of shot-creating actions in 2024.
As a team, Houston is coming off a season where it finished 13th in shot-creating actions – behind only the Chicago Red Stars.
Her versatility is the most intriguing aspect of her game for whoever comes in to lead the Dash on the sidelines in 2025. Primarily, Ryan takes up the right-wing spot – a position that was occupied by Bárbara Olivieri and standout rookie Avery Patterson among others toward the end of last season. No matter which role she slots in, Ryan’s ability to adapt should allow her to thrive.
Don’t sleep on her dynamism with the ball either. That’d be a welcomed sight for the Dash, who finished in the bottom three of the league in both progressive carries and carries into the final third. Ryan was among the league’s top 13 players in both categories during her 2024 breakout.
Gone are the days when Ryan served as a depth player in Portland and early at Gotham. Now a legitimate blossoming star on both club and international stages, Ryan’s trajectory continues to soar. The Dash’s current roster composition offers her the perfect platform to showcase her abilities as a centerpiece of the attack.
Where do the Houston Dash go after adding Yazmeen Ryan?
The Norman native is already the second former Gotham player the NWSL’s only Texas outfit has added this offseason. On December 4, the Dash confirmed the signing of another midfielder Delanie Sheehan to a contract through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027.
Outside of that, Houston has been quite busy so far. It’s already extended numerous players, including Patterson and Jamaican international Kiki Van Zaten. In the front office, Angela Hucles Mangano became the new President of Women’s Soccer while right-sided defender Christen Westphal came to Houston via trade from the San Diego Wave.
The way the club has addressed its biggest flaw – the midfield – is praiseworthy. Its top priority should not even be on the pitch now. They need to pool as many resources as possible to find the right leader to alter the perspective of what the club has become in the eyes of the majority. Hucles Mangano will spearhead the mission as interim Ricky Clarke will not be returning to Texas in 2025.
Keep an eye on Twila Kilgore, the USWNT’s interim manager prior to Hayes finishing up her time at Chelsea. She has already worked with the Dash as an assistant between 2019-2022 before departing for the USWNT assistant job. Kilgore brought hope back to the Stars and Stripes coming off the disappointment of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, acting as the all-important bridge amid a transitional period.
