'It was my top choice': Paige Nielsen on her four-year extension with the Houston Dash [Exclusive]

Paige Nielsen's time with the Houston Dash began with tears. That was just four months ago.

The 30-year-old from Nebraska was real, and honest. In May 2024, she didn't put on a brave face after a sudden move to Texas, which uprooted her from three years in Los Angeles, with Angel City FC. A 2022 NWSL expansion team that Nielsen helped establish as one of their inaugural squad members.

"My wife, I think she yelled at me every day [after the trade]," Nielsen said back in May 2024.

"I think I cried every day. I mean, she did choose to marry me, and I don't think she understood what it meant in case I got traded. But she can work remote...we started to build a life in LA, it felt like home...but we're also very excited for what Houston can bring us."

On Tuesday, Nielsen and the Dash signed a four-year contract extension that will go into effect on the 1st of January 2025, setting the player up to play in Texas until the end of the 2028 NWSL season.

The centreback's existing contract was set to expire on 31st December 2024, and under the new 2024 NWSL collective bargaining agreement, she would have been able to start negotiating with new clubs on September 1st.

"I feel like this is kind of my purpose," Nielsen told Squad Depth over the phone. "Trust is important. But also, one of my main goals with this team is to help build that culture and make this place, a place where everyone wants to play. The people that have stayed have that same passion and purpose, and when that aligns, it makes things a lot easier."

It's a substantial move and twist of fate for the player who didn't think she would ever play in Texas let alone commit the remainder of her peak years as a footballer to Houston.

In the end, what it came down to was feeling valued. President Jessica O'Neill sat down with Nielsen a month ago and sold the player on a three-year vision for the club. The plan is to keep the defender as a core figure of the Dash's play on the pitch and a culture creator off of it.

"It's a risk to sign before you really understand your full value with other clubs. But I had something in mind with this club. It was my top choice, and I wanted to see if they valued me, how much they valued me, and they've proven that in the last four months," Nielsen explained.

"I need to be a part of a club – especially this type of club – to see it grow again. It goes back to my purpose, and the new CBA that was signed goes to 2030. We have come a long way. My first contract was for $5,000 with the Seattle Reign. I am really proud of myself to get to this point, and financially, we're obviously a lot more secure. This is way bigger raise than I had in my first year. And I'm really happy with it."

Nielsen's value hasn't been hard to quantify. When she was traded for $100,000, the Dash objectively had the worst-performing defense in the NWSL.

Houston ranked last for goals conceded with 14 (2.8 p90), and expected goals conceded, xGA, with 12.4 (2.52 p90). A player of her profile of her hard-tackling profile was needed.

Nielsen has played every minute of the 12 matches since, with Houston's defensive numbers shooting up accordingly. The Dash now rank eighth for goals conceded (24), although they are still languishing near the bottom, 13th, for xGA (33.5).

But if you look a little bit closer at the match-by-match defensive gains, the improvement is more stark. With Nielsen in the team, Houston's goals against per 90 minutes decreases by an astonishing 71% (from 2.8 to 0.83). With xGA p90 also seeing an impressive 31% slash (from 2.52 to 1.75 p90).

"I guess the hard part would be to sell me on the club"

From the outside, many will ask why would Nielsen re-sign with Houston when the club is going through so many changes and facing another period of instability?

In addition to struggling in 2024, since 2022, the Dash have had three head coaches (James Clarkson suspended, and then departed upon expiration of his contract, Sam Laity sacked 18 matches into his first season, and now Fran Alonso has been on a leave of absence since the end of May).

Then, in July, there was another front office shake up as the club fired its general manager Alex Singer. Earlier this summer, the Dash had 15 players with contracts expiring at the end of the 2024 NWSL season. That number is now down to 13.

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

Of course, Nielsen is well aware of all this. In fact, she actually sees her past NWSL experience with the Washington Spirit and Angel City as big reasons why she's primed to help reestablish the Dash at this uncertain time.

"I guess the hard part would be to sell me on the club. And, you know, we have made some staffing changes. And a lot of people might be like, this club has had a lot of turnover in the last couple years," Nielsen said.

"I've been in this league long enough to know that a team can change within a year or a couple years. And I've actually been a part of the Spirit, when we kind of changed things around. Then I went to LA and we kind of grew and built a culture, a really great culture, at both of those teams."

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

It also helps that Nielsen's long-term commitment doesn't come in isolation.

In July, captain, and reigning NWSL 'Goalkeeper of the Year', Jane Campbell – who Nielsen calls "a great leader" – also signed a four-year extension. She has been with the Dash since she was drafted from Stanford in 2017.

Superstar Brazilian centreback Tarciane, who arrived from Corinthians, just 24 hours after Nieslen, in exchange for $500,000, is also contracted with the Dash through 2026, with an option for 2027.

At 21, the Olympic silver medalist is one of the brightest young players in the NWSL. If not perhaps the world.

For a team which had one of the worst defensive records in the league to start in 2024, there is suddenly a solid present and a future at the base of Houston's team. Quality, leadership, and a promise to grow.

"We all came together and said, you know, we've been through a lot, but it's only going to bring a disservice to all of us if you don't show up every day and do your best, not only for yourself and for this team. We've kind of banded together. I think the last couple of games, our relationships have gotten better on the field," she posited.

With her contract sorted, and her future settled, Nielsen, her wife, and her dog, are all excited to get to know Houston better. That also means looking to own a home for the first time.

"My wife is settled down a lot more now," Nielsen said warmly. "I think it's a huge relief for me and my family, and we can start to plan other things outside of soccer. We're super stoked to be here. We have seen the city. It's super diverse. We really like it here, it was part of the decision for the contract. I'm pretty sure my wife is now looking at houses because she is tired of renting."

In her words, the housing market is "popping" in the Bayou City. Nielsen's wife also works as a realtor which will come in handy when trying to secure the best deal.

Nielsen has also already looked up getting tickets to the Houston rodeo next February, and, as a big NFL fan, she is making a point to try and catch her beloved Los Angeles Rams when they play either the Texans or the Cowboys.

Away from the pitch, next offseason Nielsen also wants to explore the nature that surrounds Texas – "some hikes and trails, definitely outdoorsy things" – as well as discover if there's a local pickleball and slam-poetry scene she could get into.

Sometimes your purpose finds you. And, for Nielsen, right now that's the Houston Dash.

"Cry at the beginning, so you can smile at the end" – Marta