The Houston Dash announced on Sunday changes to their technical staff with head coach Fabrice Gautrat, and technical director Twila Kilgore to leave their roles with the club. Assistant coach Jaime Frias will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Houston are in 12th place on the NWSL table, and have lost their last four matches with only six matches left in the regular season. They lost their most recent match this weekend against the Utah Royals in 1-0 defeat at home.
“Our
conviction in this group has not wavered. We believe in the quality of this team and its ability to succeed both this season and beyond. We also have a responsibility to evaluate our trajectory and determine what is needed to achieve the ambitions we have for this team. Ultimately, this decision reflects our commitment to those ambitions and our determination to continue moving the club forward,” said Angela Hucles Mangano, president of women’s soccer in a statement. “We want to thank (Gautrat) and (Kilgore) for their commitment to the organization and the work they have done on behalf of this organization. They have invested significantly in our players and our club, and we are grateful for their contributions. We wish them both continued success in their careers.”
Gautrat joined the Dash before the 2025 NWSL season as head coach leading the team to a below-average season ending the year with 8-12-6 record for 30 points earning them a 10th place finish. This year the Dash hold a similar record with 7-12-5 through 24 matches.
Twila Kilgore joined the Dash after a successful stint as the interim head coach of the United States Women’s National Team from August 2023-May 2024. Kilgore led the U.S. following their disappointing exit from the 2023 Women’s World Cup, and prepared the team for the arrival of Emma Hayes for the successful gold medal run in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The news comes amid other changes around the NWSL including the firing of Seb Hines with the Orlando Pride, Martin Sjögren with the Chicago Stars and the departure of Vlatko Andonovski from the Kansas City Current.
The Dash are 11 points away from the final playoff spot and will play their next two matches on the road starting with a match on Sunday, September 20, against the Boston Legacy. Then another away match against the Portland Thorns to close out September before the final stretch of the NWSL season.
