Nico Lemoine made his way to Houston Sports Park before the ink dried on his first contract with the Houston Dynamo. The winger is no stranger to the facility after his time with the Dynamo Academy and he credits the Dynamo Academy staff with paving a path to the professional ranks for the 20-year-old.  

“It was a short stint in the Academy playing under Kenny Bundy and Jason Grubb with Paul Holocher helping out. It was great having them,” Lemoine said. “I learned a lot under their coaching. It was great playing there. I got good matches in and it gave me the opportunity to go to RGV. Then, RGV gave me the opportunity to come here.” 

Lemoine made the jump to the professional game with Rio Grande Valley FC, the Dynamo’s USL Championship hybrid affiliate, in 2019. The winger adjusted quickly as he scored his first professional goal in just his second appearance for the South Texas club. Lemoine finished with two goals and an assist in his rookie year with the Toros as a 19-year-old.  

“My time in RGV was unique. I spent a season down there. It gave me a platform to play professional games and play against faster and stronger players,” Lemoine said.  “I think that propelled my career and allowed me to come here.” 

RGV FC head coach Gerson Echeverry is in his third season with the club and this is the first year where he works side-by-side with his former NY/NJ MetroStars teammate, Tab Ramos. Both coaches have spent the last eight months collaborating and mapping a path for future prospects like Lemoine, the fourth player signed from RGV on the active roster. The winger joins Kyle Adams, Memo Rodriguez and Michael Salazar as RGV FC alumni now on the Dynamo First Team.     

Lemoine’s path to the Dynamo continued in February when he joined the team for preseason and tallied an assist in the first scrimmage of the year, a 2-0 victory over Houston Baptist University at HSP. It was the first scrimmage organized by Ramos, and for him, Lemoine’s skills and aggressiveness stand out as he looks to the remainder of the MLS regular season.  

“I’m very excited to have Nico on board because Nico is a very skillful player,” Ramos said. “I think attacking-wise, he can do some things that are a little bit different than other guys. I think he is very direct going to goal and obviously a young player. We’re hoping this is the start for one of the guys we bring along into the future.” 

With the MLS is Back Tournament looming on the horizon and, if the league is able to fulfill its goal of playing regular-season matches in teams’ home markets this fall, it’s a strong bet that every club’s depth will be tested more than ever this year. For Lemoine and other youngsters on the Dynamo roster, that means that the future Ramos speaks of may be here before they know it. 

The Houston Dynamo signed Dynamo Academy product Nico Lemoine from the club’s USL affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC (RGV FC), the club announced today.

RGV FC is the Dynamo’s hybrid affiliate in the USL Championship, and Lemoine returns to Houston after one season with the Toros. The speedy winger finished with two goals and an assist in his first season as a professional.

“We are pleased to add Nico to our roster as we prepare to re-start our season heading into the Orlando tournament. He is a player who spent the preseason with the First Team and showed he has the ability to effectively create chances in the wide areas of the field,” said Dynamo Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “Nico has worked his way up through our system, and at just 20 years old we look forward to seeing his continued development.”

Lemoine was a standout performer for the Dynamo U-19 Academy team. The 20-year-old signed a USL contract with RGV FC on March 8, 2019 and scored his first goal as a professional against the Tulsa Roughnecks on March 29, 2019, his second appearance for the Toros. Lemoine went on to play in 19 games for the South Texas club in 2019.

The 20-year-old is the fourth Dynamo Academy product on the First Team roster, joining defender Erik McCue, midfielder Marcelo Palomino and midfielder Memo Rodriguez. He is the 12th Academy alumnus to sign with the Dynamo First Team.

With the addition of Lemoine, the Dynamo now have 28 players under contract for the 2020 season.

TRANSACTION: The Houston Dynamo sign FW Nico Lemoine from Rio Grande Valley FC.

NICO LEMOINE PROFILE  

Full Name: Niccolo Garrett Lemoine 

Position: Winger/Forward  

Height: 5-8

Weight: 140 lbs.

Date of Birth: April 10, 2000 (20 years old)

Hometown: Livermore, Calif. 

FIFA Nationality: United States 

Last Club: Rio Grande Valley FC (USL Championship)

How Acquired: Signed to a First Team contract on Thursday, June 11, 2020. 

The Houston Dynamo signed Academy product Juan Castilla to a Homegrown Player contract that is effective January 1, 2021, the club announced today. 

At 15 years old, Castilla is the youngest Homegrown Player signing in club history and the 13th Dynamo Academy alumnus to sign a professional contract with the Club. The midfielder joined the Dynamo Academy in 2016 as an 11-year-old to compete at the Under-12 level.

“This is a special day for our entire club to announce the addition of Juan Castilla as our youngest-ever Homegrown signing. Juan has worked his way up through our Academy to earn this opportunity, and his quality as a player along with his strong mentality and willingness to learn exemplify what we look for in all of our young players,” said Dynamo Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “I’d also like to acknowledge the leadership of our Academy Director Paul Holocher and the hard work and commitment from our Academy staff to help Juan get to this point, understanding that this is the next step in the development process.”

Castilla was one of four Academy players called up by head coach Tab Ramos to join the Dynamo for preseason trips to Tucson, Ariz. and the Rio Grande Valley prior to the 2020 season. The midfielder saw competitive action during both trips, as he entered for the final period of a scrimmage between the Dynamo and RGV FC and came on as a second-half substitute in Arizona during a closed-door scrimmage against Real Salt Lake.  

“Juan is an outstanding young midfielder with an excellent combination of technical quality, composure and game insight,” said Dynamo Academy Director Paul Holocher. “When a player from the Academy becomes a professional it is always exciting,  but in this case it is extra special as Juan started with the Academy from a young age and he has Houston in his heart. It is going to be exciting to see him continue to develop and grow as a young professional.”

The 15-year-old was a key member of the Dynamo Academy U-17 squad that qualified for the Generation adidas Cup Final earlier this year at Houston Sports Park. It was the first time that the Dynamo Academy U-17s qualified for the final round of the annual tournament.  

Castilla will officially join the Dynamo First Team as a Homegrown Player on January 1, 2021, but will train with the First Team while continuing to compete with the Dynamo Academy for the remainder of the year. 

TRANSACTION: The Houston Dynamo sign midfielder Juan Castilla to a Homegrown Player contract on Monday, June 15, 2020.

JUAN CASTILLA PROFILE   

Full name: Juan Andres Castillo Lozano

Position: Midfielder   

Height: 5-8

Weight: 130 lbs  

Date of Birth: July 27, 2004

Birthplace: Cali, Colombia 

Hometown: Houston, Texas

FIFA Nationality: United States / Colombia

Last Club: Dynamo Academy U-17

How Acquired: Signed to a Homegrown Player Contract on Monday, June 15, 2020.    

The Houston Dynamo were drawn into Group F along with Los Angeles Football Club, the LA Galaxy and the Portland Timbers earlier today for the MLS is Back Tournament this summer in Orlando, Florida.  

The Dynamo will face the Galaxy in a rematch of Opening Day, when they played to a 1-1 draw in front of a sold-out crowd at BBVA Stadium on Feb. 29. Houston will also face an LAFC side which features the 2019 MLS Most Valuable Player, Carlos Vela. The Timbers, who are led by 2017 league MVP Diego Valeri, round out the group.   

A full schedule with dates, kickoff times and broadcast information will be announced in the coming days.  

Clubs will begin arriving in Orlando as early as June 24 for preseason training.  Clubs that can conduct full team training in their markets pursuant to the league’s medical and testing protocols must arrive no later than seven days before their first match.   

Each team will play three group stage matches, and those results will count in the 2020 MLS regular season standings.  After 16 consecutive days of group stage matches, the top two teams from each group along with the four best third-place finishers will move on to the knockout stage. Click HERE for the MLS is Back Tournament Competition Guidelines