Player | No. | Pos. | Ht. | Hometown | NWSL Exp. | Pronunciation | DOB |
Paige Nielsen | 14 | D | 5-6 | Lincoln, Nebraska | 6 | NEEL-sin | 10/14/93 |
Nielsen was named the Defender of the Year in 2024. She joined the team prior to the trade deadline in April 2024 and helped the team earn a clean sheet in her Dash debut against the Utah Royals on April 27. The defender scored the game-winning goal in Houston’s 1-0 victory on the road over Angel City FC on May 12. That was Nielsen’s eighth campaign in the NWSL and she reached 100 regular season games against the Orlando Pride on Sept. 28.
The defender spent two seasons with Angel City, where she reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 NWSL playoffs. Nielsen is a NWSL champion, winning the title in 2021 with the Washington Spirit following a come-from-behind triumph over the Chicago Red Stars. The center back also reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
In the 2025 season, Neilsen scored her second career goal — and first of the year — for Houston on March 23 against Chicago Stars FC. The veteran appeared in 26 matches, starting 24 and logging 2,215 minutes. During that match, she surpassed 10,000 regular-season minutes in the NWSL, becoming the 65th player in league history to reach the milestone. It also marked the first time she wore the captain’s armband in her career. Neilsen earned Defender of the Year honors following the 2025 season, her second consecutive year receiving the award.
Latest transaction: Signed a four-year contract extension through the 2028 NWSL season on August 27, 2024.
Dash Debut: April 27, 2024, on the road against Utah Royals FC.