HOUSTON (April 28, 2026) - The Houston Dash today announced midfielder Kiki Van Zanten as its nominee for the 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, recognizing an NWSL player for outstanding service and character off the pitch and in the community. All 16 nominees from across the NWSL were announced by the league today and Van Zanten selected Communities In Schools (CIS) Houston as her community partner.
The Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, was introduced in 2024 to honor the two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award Lauren Holiday. It spotlights players who exemplify dedication and commitment to giving back in service to their local communities.
Communities In Schools of Houston serves more than 140 campuses across the region, delivering academic support, counseling and access to a broad network of community resources that help students navigate college readiness and prepare for long-term career success. Through its evidence-based Integrated Student Supports model, CIS provides tiered services that include school-wide initiatives, targeted group programming, and individualized case management. This holistic approach ensures students receive the academic and social support necessary to stay engaged in school and succeed beyond the classroom.
Van Zanten will coordinate two events with Communities In Schools Houston to raise awareness of the organization, and the Dash will recognize CIS at a home match later this season. For more information about Communities In Schools of Houston, visit CISHouston.org.
Of the 16 Club nominees, one will be announced as the winner as part of the 2026 NWSL Awards, presented by AT&T, during Championship weekend. At that time, Nationwide will make a $50,000 donation to the charitable organization of the winner’s choice.
The winner will be determined by a panel of judges that includes Lauren Holiday, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, and representatives from Nationwide, NWSLPA, and Media Association.
Fans are invited to show support for their favorite nominee through the Fan Impact Challenge. The competition will be hosted on nwslsoccer.com from August 14-29. The nominee with the most fan engagement will be announced as winner of the Fan Impact Challenge and the charitable organization of that player’s choice will receive an additional $10,000 donation from Nationwide.
For the second year, an enhancement to the Fan Impact Challenge is a sweepstakes where one randomly selected fan, among those who voted for the winning nominee, will receive a jersey from the team of their choosing.
Over the course of the season, each club will recognize its nominee and local community partner during a match. To honor their impact, a $5,000 donation will be made to the designated nonprofit organization in each market.
For more information on Kiki Van Zanten and the Lauren Holiday Impact Award, click here.
