The Houston Dash have received Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for forward Melissa Tancredi, it was announced today. Both players are allocated by the Canadian Soccer Association.
“I’m very excited about Erin joining the Dash family. She is one of the top goalkeepers in the international game, and will help us tremendously in developing our defensive unit,” said head coach Randy Waldrum. “It’s disappointing that I won’t get to reunite with Melissa, but I know she will do great things in Chicago.”
McLeod, 30, started 16 games for the Red Stars in 2013, recording four shutouts and posting a 70% save percentage. She began her professional career in 2004 with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the W-League, winning championships in 2004 and 2006. McLeod played for the Washington Freedom from 2009-10 and spent 2011-13 in Sweden playing for Dalsjöfors GolF.
The St. Albert, Alberta, native has been capped 92 times by the Canada women’s national soccer team. McLeod made her international debut at the age of 19 in 2002 and has represented her country at two FIFA Women’s World Cups and two Olympics, winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Games.
Melissa Tancredi, 32, was one of the three original allocated players for the Dash. She is a veteran of two World Cups and two Olympics, including London 2012 where she scored four goals en route to a bronze medal for Canada. Tancredi is expected to miss part of the NWSL season while she finishes chiropractor school.
The Dash will continue to build the roster for their first season in an expansion draft this Friday, Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. CT. The team will be able to select up to 10 players left unprotected by the other eight teams in the league in advance of the NWSL College Draft on Jan. 17.
Written by Steve Milne
