Dash fill international spot with English midfielder

The Houston Dash have added to their midfield ranks, announcing Tuesday the team has acquired English midfielder Rachel Axon, pending receipt of her P-1 Visa and ITC. Of course, per both team and league policy, the terms of her deal were not disclosed in the announcement.

The 29-year-old former Oregon State player joins Houston from Norwegian side Toppserien club Kolbotn, IL. There she played in 23 games, collecting two goals during the past 2014 season. She has also clocked minutes at Vitoria de Santo Antao in Brazil (2013) and Avaldsnes IL of Norway (from 2011 to 2013) during her career as a professional player.

In the club's press release, Dash Head Coach Randy Waldrum was quoted praising Axon's presence in the midfield. He stated she has "a calming effect" as a midfielder with "great vision, and is very comfortable with the ball." He also added her passing ability is "very good" and Axon "has a wealth of experience to bring to our young team."

"Rachael is a player I first saw when my Notre Dame team played Oregon State in an NCAA playoff game years ago," Waldrum said. "I thought on the day, she was the best player on the pitch for either team."

"She'll be a great addition to our midfield, especially with so many of our players missing time due to the World Cup. I'm looking forward to working with her as she is a true pro," Waldrum added. "The Dash family will love her, and I look forward to having her with us this season."

A native of London, England, Axon began her collegiate career at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2006, where she earned team co-MVP and conference All-Freshman team honors. She transferred to Oregon State for her final three years of school, appearing in 60 games and tallying four goals and 11 assists. Axon was named All-Pac 10 First Team in 2009. She then joined OSU as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011 season.

As an amateur player, Axon clocked club soccer time for AFC Wimbledon in England and the Ottawa Fury in the W-League in 2007 and 2008. She was part of the England National Team setup at the U-19 and U-21 levels and helped the Great Britain squad to a bronze medal finish at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Serbia.

Player Stats:
Rachael Axon
Position: Midfielder
International: England
Date of Birth: Sept. 11, 1985
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5'8"
Previous Club: Kolbotn IL (Norway)
Acquired via discovery signing Nov. 4, 2014