The Houston Dash has appointed Angela Hucles Mangano as the club’s president of women’s soccer and chief soccer officer.
Hucles Mangano recently parted ways with Angel City after serving as the club’s general manager.
“I’m ecstatic for this new opportunity with the Houston Dash and completely energized for this project ahead of us,” Hucles Mangano expressed in a statement. “Being able to bring in the experiences I’ve had in this sport to date and provide the type of stability and consistency to the club that served my teams well as a player and executive, will be core components to the high-performance growth of the organization. I’m excited for this transformation and to work with key members of leadership, the staff, the players, the fans and community of Houston.”
Houston has been actively looking for both a general manager and a head coach following a tumultuous season both on and off the field.
In late July, Alex Singer was dismissed as the Dash’s general manager due to what club president Jess O’Neill described as disappointing results on the field. The Dash ended the season at the bottom of the 14-team NWSL standings.
“We are thrilled to welcome Angela and her family to Houston. As a trailblazer who has dedicated her life to advancing the sport across all levels, Angela presented an impressive plan for the future of the Houston Dash that aligns with our vision for sustained success on and off the pitch,” stated Houston Dash majority owner Ted Segal. “We look forward to the next chapter with Angela leading the mission to elevate the Dash into a consistent contender in the NWSL.”
The Dash operated for part of the season without permanent leadership after former head coach Fran Alonso went absent in late June. Initially, his absence was attributed to an “illness” before later being referred to as a personal leave. He was terminated in September, nearly 12 weeks after he stepped away, due to his failure to return.
Since August, former Houston Dynamo player and Orlando Pride general manager Erik Ustruck has been serving as an advisor, effectively stepping in as interim general manager. O’Neill had originally aimed for an early October appointment for a new GM, but the process was delayed and only resumed in November, as several sources informed The Equalizer at the time. This left the Dash with a tight timeline to fill both positions. Although Hucles Mangano was not given the title of GM, her role encompasses many similar responsibilities.
Hucles Mangano will become the second general manager in the Dash’s history, a team that entered the NWSL in 2014 but for many years shared resources and staffing with the MLS Houston Dynamo.
She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has participated in two World Cups with the United States women’s national team. In addition, she played for the Boston Breakers in both the WUSA (2001-2003) and the WPS (2009).
Image Source: Angel Hucles Mangano @ Instagram
