The Houston Dash announced the re-signing of goalkeeper and co-captainJane Campbelland midfielderKristie Mewis today. Campbell agreed to a contract extension through the 2021 season while Mewis re-signed for three seasons through 2023.
“It’s great to have Jane with us for at least another season. She’s a huge part of the team and what we are trying to achieve,” said Head Coach James Clarkson. “I’m also very excited to have Kristie commit to the Dash for the prime of her career. She’s playing at a really high level and is one of the top midfielders in the league.”
Campbell and the Dash agreed to a contract extension after the four-year veteran played a crucial role in Houston’s first league title during the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup. Throughout the tournament, Campbell held it down in goal, earning four clean sheets, three of which happened during the knockout rounds. Called “the best goalkeeper in the league” by Clarkson, the Georgia native stopped two penalty kicks against Utah Royals FC securing the ticket into the semi-finals.
“Extending my contract with Houston is a huge honor. This city has embraced me more than I could have ever imagined, so it's right that I give everything back to the club,” Campbell said. “Coming off the Challenge Cup as champions, we’re still hungry for more and our next goal is to go back-to-back in 2021.”
Mewis signed a multi-year contract with the club that is set to go through the 2023 season after joining the Dash in the middle of the 2017 season. The Boston native played in every game of the Challenge Cup, scoring a goal in Houston’s 2-0 victory over OL Reign and drawing a penalty that resulted in the tournament-winning goal in the Challenge Cup Final against the Chicago Red Stars.
“This club and city are like one big family - it’s my home away from home,” said Mewis. “There is no place I’d rather be.”
Campbell joined the Dash when she was selected with the 15th pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft out of Stanford. She has earned four Club awards in her first four seasons, including Players’ Player of the Year in both 2018 and 2019, and Most Valuable Player following a 2019 seasonin which she doubled her clean sheet record with six and played every minute of every game. The 24-year old already holds the NWSL record for penalty kick saves with seven.
The Georgia nativehas earned three caps with the U.S. Women’s National Team, two of which have come in Houston at BBVA Stadium. She made her senior international debut in Houston during a 5-1 USWNT victory over Russia in April 2017. Since then, Campbell has earned two more caps for the national team, including an appearance in a 6-2 win over Mexico in Houston in April of 2018. She was most recently called in to the national team in December 2019.
Mewis came to Houston in a trade from the Chicago Red Stars on August 30, 2017 and has established herself as a fixture in the midfield. In three-plus seasons,she has seen action in 45 matches with 42 starts and has recorded seven goals and four assists.
Last season, she logged 20 starts in 22 appearances and scored four goals and one assist for Houston after recovering from a torn ACL that ended her 2018 campaign early. Mewis, who earned her first call-up with the national team in 2014, has scored one goal in 15 appearances for the United States. Most recently, Mewis earned a call-up to camp in November of 2019 under USWNT Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski alongside Campbell.
The Dash are set to return to action for the remainder of the 2020 year as they take on North Carolina Courage and Orlando Pride as part of the South Pod.Full schedule to be released soon.
