HOUSTON (Dec. 10, 2025) - Houston Dash defender Katie Lind announced her retirement from professional soccer today, closing the chapter on a remarkable 10-year career.
“Obviously, I wouldn’t be in this position to have played 10 years of professional soccer without my family. You’ve sacrificed more than I will ever know. I am eternally grateful that you believed in me and my dreams and helped make them a reality. I love you all deeply,” Lind wrote in this post. “Nothing will replace what I’ve been able to experience the past 26 years, but now it’s time to start on a different path.”
Lind, one of the longest-tenured players in club history, joined the Dash in 2020. She began her career in her hometown and finished with 193 appearances across all competitions, including 176 starts. The Chicago native made her Houston Dash debut on June 30, 2020, during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup and helped Houston secure its first trophy that summer. Lind scored her first Dash goal on June 6, 2021, against the Kansas City Current and helped the team reach the postseason for the first time in 2022.
“Katie has been an incredible professional and a vital part of this club’s identity for the last five years. Her leadership, consistency and commitment set a standard for everyone around her,” Dash President of Soccer, Angela Hucles Mangano said. “We’re proud that she chose to finish her distinguished career here in Houston and grateful for the impact she made on and off the field. We’re looking forward to staying connected with her and wish her and her family nothing but joy and fulfillment as they enter this next chapter.”
After missing the 2024 season on maternity leave, Lind returned to competitive action on March 14, 2025. She went on to play 15 matches this season, a campaign in which she reached 150 regular-season appearances on April 12 against Angel City FC. Her comeback was celebrated by the locker room this year and she was voted the 2025 Players’ Player of the Year last month.
During her tenure in Houston, Lind anchored the back line and was part of a record-setting 2023 defensive unit that conceded only 18 goals, the fewest in club history. An Ironwoman in both 2021 and 2022, she played every minute in back-to-back seasons and has logged 13,163 regular-season minutes throughout her career.
Prior to joining the Dash, Lind spent four seasons with Chicago Stars after being selected as the 19th overall pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft. She scored her first NWSL goal on June 24, 2018, in a win over Utah Royals FC. Dring her time with the Red Stars, she also spent time on loan with Adelaide United and Perth Glory throughout two campaigns in Australia.
Before her professional career, Lind had a distinguished four-year career at Notre Dame. She appeared in 87 matches for the Fighting Irish, scoring 11 goals and serving as team captain for three consecutive seasons, the first player in program history to do so.
Lind retires as one of the league’s most respected defenders and a defining figure in Houston Dash history, leaving a legacy of leadership, resilience and excellence.
