NWSL-Houston Dash Add U.S. Soccer Veteran Twila Kilgore as Technical Director
- Jonathan Turner
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
HOUSTON (Feb. 14, 2026) — The Houston Dash have strengthened their technical leadership ahead of the 2026 NWSL season, announcing the hiring of Twila Kilgore as the club’s new Technical Director.
Kilgore returns to Houston after serving with the U.S. Women’s National Team, where she played a key role in guiding the program to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also served as interim head coach of the USWNT from August 2023 through May 2024.
“The technical director role is central to how we want to build and sustain success in Houston,” said President of Soccer Angela Hucles Mangano. “Twila is uniquely qualified to help shape and execute our shared vision for the club. She brings a rare combination of national team experience, player development expertise, and a deep understanding of the pathways into our league. Just as importantly, she understands Houston and what this club is striving to become.”
Kilgore becomes just the second technical director in Dash history and joins an expanded sporting and technical staff as the club prepares for the upcoming campaign. In her new role, she will work closely with Hucles Mangano on player development, talent identification, and recruitment, while serving as a strategic partner across the club’s technical operations.
“I’m inspired to step into this role because what matters most to me is the daily experience of our players and staff,” Kilgore said. “There was meaningful progress made last season, and I am looking forward to coming alongside everyone in the organization as we pursue sustainable success. My focus is on creating clarity, alignment, and intentional support across the entire sporting operation so our players and staff can do their best work on and off the pitch.”
Kilgore brings more than a decade of experience within the U.S. Soccer system. From 2011 to 2022, she worked extensively with the U.S. Women’s Youth National Teams (U-14 through U-23). She led the U-20 squad at the 2019 La Manga Tournament in Spain and coached the U-23 team in two international competitions in 2022.
She joined the senior national team staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup before being named interim head coach later that year. During her tenure, the U.S. captured the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and the 2024 SheBelieves Cup in preparation for its Olympic gold medal run in Paris.
The Los Angeles native is no stranger to Houston or the NWSL. Kilgore previously served as an assistant coach for the Dash from 2019 to 2021. During that stretch, she helped guide the club to its first trophy — the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup — and contributed to a strong 2021 season that included five home wins (tied for the most in club history) and 32 points, the second-highest total in team history.
Beyond her professional experience, Kilgore spent five seasons as head coach at UC Davis, leading the program to its first conference tournament semifinal appearance since 2011. She also spent 10 seasons on the technical staff at Pepperdine University and served as head coach of the Los Angeles Legends in the USL W-League. As a player, she competed for the Arizona Heatwave in the W-League following a standout collegiate career at the University of Arizona.
Kilgore holds a UEFA “A” coaching license and, in 2021, became the first American-born woman to earn U.S. Soccer’s Pro Coaching License — the highest certification in the American coaching pathway. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Arizona, where she was a four-year starter and Rookie of the Year, and later completed a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration at Concordia University Irvine.
Houston will continue preseason preparations with participation in the Coachella Valley Invitational and a friendly against Dallas Trinity FC. The Dash open the 2026 regular season in March. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREMIER MEDIA GROUP / NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK /
NATIONAL SOCCER NETWORK ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561215500230
— All Rights Reserved, Premier Media Group / National Soccer Network
Comments