Houston Dash W

Establishment

On November 19, 2013, MLS team Houston Dynamo began the initial stages of bringing a top flight women's professional soccer franchise to Houston. A week later, the effort was bolstered when the Dynamo began accepting refundable deposits for a potential NWSL expansion team. On December 11, 2013, the National Women's Soccer League awarded the Houston Dynamo and the city of Houston an expansion franchise.

Team name, crest, and colors

During a press conference on December 12, 2013, then-Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti announced that the club would be named the Houston Dash and would share similar colors to the Dynamo: orange, black, and sky blue. The crest featured a soccer ball along with the words "Houston Dash" with sky blue lines in the background. The name Dash refers to the fast running speed of a horse, which was a historical mode of transportation for Texans in the 1800s.

Mascot

In 2007, Houston started a search for a mascot by asking members of The Art Institute of Houston to submit drawings, from which several finalists were selected and an official mascot would be decided through an online poll, both for the mascot design and name. The winning design, by Eric Hulsey and Leslie Lopez, was of an orange-haired fox and named Dynamo Diesel. He was unveiled at Houston Zoo on April 3, 2007. Dynamo Diesel began working alongside the Houston Dynamo marketing and community outreach programs.

Diesel also became the official mascot of the Houston Dash when the team began play in 2014. Dash Diesel is present at every Houston Dash match and brings an electric energy to the gameday atmosphere at Shell Energy Stadium.