Pride
Q: Can you describe what it felt like to be drafted by
the Orlando Pride?
DRIESSE: When you sign up for the draft, you’re also signing up for uncertainty,
and that is exactly how I felt until I heard my name called. My mom witnessed
me slouching just a little bit more with each name, and I was beginning to lose
all hope for my dreams to actually come true. When I saw that the Orlando
Pride had the next pick, I paid a little more attention because it had been a
team I was strongly interested in playing for.
Q: What are you most proud of in your
soccer career?
DRIESSE: Aside from now playing professionally, I am most proud of
winning the national championship with Penn State in 2015.
Obviously, transferring from FSU mid-year – the semester after we
had just won the 2014 National Championship – I had a feeling it
just wasn’t going to be easy. But at the end of the day, I knew I
had to follow my heart and what I knew was right.
“JUST BECAUSE ONE DOOR
CLOSES, IT DOESN’T MEAN
ANOTHER ONE WON’T OPEN.
EVEN WHEN THINGS AREN’T
GOING YOUR WAY...NEVER
FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF,
AND NEVER SETTLE.”
NICKOLETTE DRIESSE