The Houston Dash have acquired English midfielder Rachael Axon pending receipt of her P-1 Visa and ITC, the club announced today. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Axon, 29, joins the Dash from Norwegian Toppserien club Kolbotn IL, where she played in 23 matches — scoring two goals — during the 2014 season. Axon has also made stops at Vitoria de Santo Antao in Brazil (2013) and Avaldsnes IL of Norway (2011-13) during her professional career.
“Rachael is a player I first saw when my Notre Dame team played Oregon State in an NCAA playoff game years ago,” Dash head coach Randy Waldrum said. “I thought on the day she was the best player on the pitch for either team. She has a calming effect in midfield, has great vision, and is very comfortable with the ball. Her passing ability is very good, and she has a wealth of experience to bring to our young 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. The Dash family will love her, and I look forward to having her with us this season."
The London native started her collegiate career at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2006, where she earned team co-MVP and conference All-Freshman team honors. Axon then transferred to Oregon State University for her final three years of school, appearing in 60 games and tallying four goals and 11 assists. She was named All-Pac 10 First Team in 2009. Axon joined OSU as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011 season.
As an amateur, Axon played club soccer for AFC Wimbledon in England and the Ottawa Fury in the W-League in 2007 and 2008. Axon 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.
Rachael Axon
Position: Midfielder
International: England
Date of Birth: September 11, 1985
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5’ 8”
Previous club: Kolbotn IL (Norway)
How acquired: via discovery signing on November 4, 2014
