Angela Hucles Mangano named Houston Dash GM and President of Women's Soccer

Angela Hucles Mangano has been named President of Women's Soccer and Chief Soccer Operator of the Houston Dash.

On Monday, the NWSL finalized the paperwork that will see the former Angel City FC general manager assume the vacant GM role in Texas. She was officially let go from the Los Angeles club five days ago.

The Dash general manager position has been available for 137 days, since Alex Singer was fired in July. Houston does not currently have a head coach or technical director either. Hucles Mangano will lead all soccer operations.

READ MORE: Alex Singer's troubled 23 months in Houston comes to an end

Before the announcement, Squad Depth reached out for comment, the Dash said via a spokesperson: "The team is navigating the final stages of hiring a general manager and will share additional updates in the near future."

Later on Monday, the club confirmed the news and that Hucles Mangano will serve as a newly created President of Women's Soccer, as well as being tasked with finding the new head coach.

How was Hucles Mangano in LA?

Hucles Mangano officially parted ways with ACFC less than a week ago. Along with club president Julie Uhrman, she was serving a suspension for the final months of the 2024 NWSL season for breaching salary cap rules.

The former U.S. women's national team player joined ACFC in 2021 as the VP of player development before then becoming the interim general manager midway through the club's inaugural 2022 season.

At the end of that year – with ACFC missing out on the playoffs by four points under head coach Freya Coombe – Hucles Mangano was promoted to permanent general manager.

In June 2023, with ACFC picking up just two wins from its first 11 matches, Hucles Mangano made the decision to remove Coombe and let assistant Becki Tweed lead the team for the remainder of 2023.

Under Tweed, ACFC roared up the NWSL table and clinched playoffs for the first time in club history. Los Angeles lost just once and won six of those final 11 league matches.

Hucles Mangano handed Tweed the permanent role as head coach in November 2023. But the 2024 season was a disappointment, with ACFC failing to hold onto leads and eventually recording the club's worst-ever finish (12th – eight points outside the playoffs).

On December 5th, ACFC parted ways with Hucles Mangano. Just four days later, Tweed also followed out the door.

These front office and coaching moves come after Willow Bay and Bob Iger purchased a majority stake in ACFC for $250m in July 2024. It would seem the new owners are after a clean slate.

What will Hucles Mangano find in Houston?

A club at rock bottom. The Dash had their worst season since their inaugural year in 2014. Finishing bottom of the table on both occasions.

Of course, for NWSL expansion clubs, that can often be expected. A decade in, the 2024 Dash were a bizarre combination of players wanting to flee the club and a dissolving front office and coaching staff.

READ MORE: 'We are not where we want to be': Q&A with Houston Dash/Dynamo president Jessica O'Neill

Houston's 2024 season will be best remembered for: Marquee star Maria Sanchez handing in a transfer request a few months after signing a then-record 4-year contract, head coach Fran Alonso going on a leave of absence in June, then being terminated in October, and general manager Singer being turfed out of the club in July.

The fans have been pointing fingers at president Jess O'Neill and owner Ted Segal for some of the most disorganized club running the NWSL has ever seen.

O'Neill missed her self-imposed target of having a new general manager by October. With the search looking fruitless, Hucles Mangano's sudden availability this winter came in handy.

To complete the total reboot, Houston also cut ties with technical director Pablo Pinoes-Arce after just 10 months. Tireless assistant and interim head coach Ricky Clarke also parted ways after two years in the dugout.

READ MORE: Full Reboot: Pablo Pinones-Arce set to depart already thin Houston Dash

For now, Hucles Mangano will assist interim general manager Erik Ustruck, who was freelancing the role on a consultancy basis as Houston tried to navigate through free agency and contract expirations. Ustruck will stay on during the transition period.

In addition to retaining many senior squad members, Ustruck also managed to land highly-regarded free agent Delanie Sheehan after her contract expired at NJ/NY Gotham FC.

In terms of infrastructure and processes, it's hard to think of a more messy club than Houston. But perhaps it will serve as a positive to have Hucles Mangano mold the club from a seemingly shapeless ball of clay.