HOUSTON (Oct. 27, 2026) – Houston Dynamo 2’s 2026 campaign came to a close in the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Oct. 18, capping off a season that featured a dominant start to the year, historic regular season milestones, two Dynamo 2 graduates and significant contributions from the Houston Dynamo Academy.
Dynamo 2 kicked off their fifth MLS NEXT Pro season under new leadership, with Jeremy Hurdle initially serving as interim head coach before being appointed the full-time head coach in July. Under Hurdle, the team finished fourth in the Western Conference standings, setting single-season records in points (52) and wins (14). Hurdle guided Dos to their fourth-ever postseason berth with one of the youngest rosters in the league, as 21 different Dynamo Academy age players featured for the affiliate team this season, while team's average age was 20.1 years old, ranking among the top ten youngest teams in MLS NEXT Pro.
“Dynamo 2 is an important part of our pathway to the First Team. It gives players the opportunity to compete, develop and show they are ready to take the next step,” said Dynamo President of Soccer Pat Onstad. “Jeremy and his staff did a great job this season, leading one of the youngest teams in the league to a record-setting regular season, while giving our Academy players, drafted players and international signings opportunities to develop. Having players make their professional debuts with Dynamo 2 and seeing Matthew Arana, Agustin Resch and Gilberto Rivera earn First Team contracts are tangible examples of that pathway working. Our responsibility is to develop players who can help us win at the First Team level, and we want to continue building on that progress.”
Dynamo Academy players played a significant role in Dynamo 2's success this season, combining for 14,867 minutes and placing Dos among the top ten teams in MLS NEXT Pro in minutes played by Academy players. Six Academy players made their professional debuts this season, including Tristan Cottle, Brogan Fitzsimons, Chris Gonzalez, Jazinho Perez, Dylan Reyes and Kian Walsh. Additionally, the roster featured a strong core of Academy graduates who signed professional contracts, including **Matthew** **Arana** (Homegrown first team), **Jahmani "JJ" Bell**, **NoahBetancourt**, **Enrique** **Correra**, **Mattheo** **Dimareli** (to become Homegrown first team) and **Samir** **Mohammad**.
This year also saw nine Dynamo Academy players who regularly feature for Dynamo 2 commit to top collegiate soccer programs ahead of the fall season, including Cornell University, Oregon State University, University of Virginia, University of Tulsa, University of South Florida and University of North Carolina.
The season saw two players graduate from Dynamo 2 to the first team in 2026 MLS SuperDraft selections **AgustinResch** and **Gilberto** **Rivera**. Resch, the eighth player in Club history to sign a first team contract from Dynamo 2, has been a key figure in Houston’s backline this season, with strong defensive performances that include 12 clean sheets. The Dynamo also recently tied a league-record with a five-match shutout victory streak and held opponents scoreless for an impressive 485 minutes, the second-longest run over the last decade for Houston. Notably, the defender joined former Dynamo forward Will Bruin as the only Houston rookies selected in the MLS SuperDraft to surpass 1,600 regular season minutes in their first MLS seasons. Rivera became the ninth player to sign from Dynamo 2 and finished the MLS NEXT Pro season with two goals and two assists in 11 appearances.
Dos kicked off their season with an impressive run, managing four consecutive shutout home victories in March. The stretch included a 2-0 victory over Colorado Rapids 2 on Opening Weekend, a dominant 4-0 win over conference rivals Tacoma Defiance (March 8), a 5-0 triumph against Portland Timbers2 (March 15) and a 2-0 win over in-state rivals North Texas SC (March 21). Against Tacoma, Houston’s backline held them to just one shot on target from eight total attempts, while Dynamo 2's five-goal performance versus Portland earned them MLS NEXT Pro Team of Matchweek 3 honors, with seven players contributing to the scoring effort. Notably, Houston finished March as the only team in the league to not concede a goal. Impressively, Dos managed a nine-match unbeaten streak at home that stretched into August.
The strong performances continued through one of the longest road trips in team and league history, which saw Dynamo 2 play 10 consecutive matches away from home from March to July due to DR Congo calling SaberCats Stadium home during the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Despite the adversity, the group rallied to record a team-record 11-match unbeaten streak, where they recorded 31 points, 28 goals and 20 assists, while leading in fewest goals conceded in open play (four) during that span. Additionally, Aug. 14 marked the first time Houston was held scoreless this campaign, ending a 20-match scoring streak in which the team found the back of the net at least once in every game.
Among individual highlights, goalkeeper Pedro Cruz, Arana and Dynamo Academy Brogan Fitzsimons represented Houston Dynamo FC during this year's MLS All-Star Week. Cruz participated in the Goalie Wars competition (after winning last year’s edition) at the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, presented by AT&T, finishing runner-up after advancing to the final by upsetting LIGA MX All-Star Carlos Moreno from C.F. Pachuca in overtime in the other semifinal and defeating Will Mackay from Huntsville City FC in the MLS NEXT Pro play-in round. Meanwhile, Arana and Fitzsimons, both regulars with Dynamo 2, represented the Club at the 2026 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, presented by Allstate. Both players were named to the starting lineup and played the entire first half.
Additionally, Cruz earned MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month in both March and April, while Hurdle was named MLS NEXT Pro Coach of the Month for the same months. The Brazilian goalkeeper also earned Player of Matchday 7honors, while Dimareli was named Rising Star of Matchday 2. As a team, Dynamo 2 earned MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Month honors in April and July, along with three MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Matchweek honors (Matchweek 3, 10 and 18).
Forward Austin Brummett finished his first professional season with 13 goals, tying for fifth in the league in goals scored and finishing as Dynamo 2's leading goal scorer. Notably, Brummett closed out Decision Day in style, recording his third brace of the season versus Sporting Kansas City II.
The Dynamo first team opens a two-match road trip on Wednesday, Oct. 28, first visiting Seattle Sounders FC before facing off against the Portland Timbers on Sunday, Nov. 1. Fans can follow both matches live via MLS on Apple TV.
