Nickolette Driesse

Nickolette Taylor Driesse (born 8 November 1994) is a Puerto Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Puerto Rico women's national team. She last played for ŽNK Split in the Croatian First Division.[2] In May 2019, Driesse was appointed as head coach of Northern Highlands girls soccer team.[3]

Nickolette Driesse
Driesse with Florida State in 2014
Personal information
Full name Nickolette Taylor Driesse[1]
Date of birth (1994-11-08) 8 November 1994
Place of birth Wayne, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Wayne Hills High School
Player Development Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Florida State Seminoles 48 (1)
2015–2016 Penn State Nittany Lions 48 (5)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Orlando Pride 4 (0)
2018 Sky Blue 1 (0)
2018 Split 7 (4)
International career‡
2012 United States U18
2013–2014 United States U20
2021– Puerto Rico 4 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 November 2018
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 October 2021

Early years

Driesse grew up in Wayne, New Jersey and attended Wayne Hills High School,[4] where she scored 88 goals and notched 46 assists. She was nominated all-League, all-County and all-State each of the four years that she played for Wayne Hills HS. Driesse was named All-County Player of the Year as a sophomore and was also nominated All-State Player of the Year as a junior. In 2012, she was included in the first team ESPN High School All-America.[5][6]

College career

After a very successful career at high school, Driesse was contacted by several colleges and universities and in the fall of her junior year at Wayne Hills High School she committed with North Carolina Tar Heel. However, as a senior she declined to sign a Letter of intent, finally deciding for Florida State University.[7] Driesse played two seasons at Florida. In 2013, she was the only Seminole freshman to play all 28 matches in the season (starting 27). She also helped the team to reach the finals of the 2013 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament where they eventually lost, in the final, for the UCLA Bruins. For her performance in this year, she earned several accolades, including being nominated for the All-ACC Freshman Team, Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, ACC All-Academic Team and TopDrawerSoccer.com Freshmen Best XI Second Team. In the next year, as a sophomore, Driesse saw her time on the field severely cut. She only started six matches in the season as her team claimed the 2014 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament. She, then, decided for a transfer. In the beginning of 2015, unhappy with her short playing time and her tactical position on the field (she was playing as a holding midfielder, when her preferred position is as an attacking midfielder) she traded the Seminoles for the Nittany Lions. She chose Penn State mostly because of coach Erica Walsh that she knew from her previously experience with the United States U20 team. "I wanted a coach who was invested in me. I knew Coach Walsh would push me hard and focus on the small details that would help make me the best player possible", she stated. From the beginning, Driesse played a key role at Penn State. Playing in all 27 matches (including 20 starts) and recording four goals and six assists. She helped their team to win the 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament. Making her a back-to-back champion for two different universities. In 2016, as a senior, Driesse was named co-captain and started all 21 matches she played. She was also nominated for the All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All tournament Team and Academic All-Big Ten.[8][9][10]

Club career

In 2012 and 2013, Driesse played for the North Jersey Valkyries at the W-League.[11]

On 12 January 2017, Driesse was picked by Orlando Pride in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She was the 32nd pick overall.[12][13][14][15] On 29 April 2017, Driesse made her debut, replacing Chioma Ubogagu in the 82nd minute of the match against North Carolina Courage.[16]

She was waived by the club on 9 February 2018.[17]

International career

In 2012, Driesse was called for the United States U18 team. In 2013, Driesse attended several camps with the United States U20 team. On 17 July 2014, Driesse was surprisingly included by coach Michelle French in the 21-players roster that represented the United States at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada. She was one of the seven players called, who were not a part of the team that won the 2014 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. She didn't play any minute at the World Cup and United States was eliminated for North Korea in the Quarterfinals.[18][19]

In May 2021, Driesse was called up by Puerto Rico.[20] She made her senior debut on 15 June that year in a 0–3 friendly away loss to Uruguay.[21]

International goals
As of match played 23 October 2021. Scores and results list Puerto Rico's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Driesse goal.
List of international goals scored by Nickolette Driesse
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
1
20 October 2021Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico Guyana
5–0
6–1
Friendly
2
23 October 2021
1–0
2–1

Honors

Florida State Seminoles

Penn State Nittany Lions

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Canada 2014 – List of Players: USA" (PDF). FIFA. 8 August 2016. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  2. "Balun br.15-2018" (PDF). nszsd.hr (in Croatian). 27 September 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  3. Cooper, Darren (21 May 2019). "Nickolette Driesse steps into big role as new Northern Highlands girls soccer coach". northjersey.com. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  4. Stiansen, Lauara Adams. "Wayne native Nickolette Driesse gets her kicks on Orlando's professional women's soccer team", The Record, 12 September 2017. Accessed 8 October 2017.
  5. "23 – NICKOLETTE DRIESSE". Go PSU Sports. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  6. "3 – NICKOLETTE DRIESSE". Seminoles. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  7. Giuffra, Brian A.; Czerwinski, Mark J.; Idec, Keith. "It wasn't easy for Nickolette Driesse to walk away from her dream school. But in the end, that's what the Wayne Hills soccer star did". North Jersey. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  8. Shwalb, Bob. "Driesse wins back-to-back women's soccer crowns on different teams". North Jersey. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. "15 W-League Players to Watch in 2015". Top Drawer Soccer. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  10. Kasales, Ethan. "Nickolette Driesse Sets Winning Standard For Women's Soccer". Onward State. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  11. "Nickolette Driesse re-signs for 2013 season". NJ Valkyries. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  12. Lawlor, Christopher. "Wayne Hills' Driesse drafted by Orlando Pride". North Jersey. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  13. Connelly, Steve. "Nickolette Driesse Selected By Orlando Pride in the NWSL Draft". Onward State. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  14. David, Austin. "2017 NWSL Draft: Pride Selects MF Nickolette Driesse". The Mane Land. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  15. Cary, Allison. "Nickolette Driesse and Jamia Fields: Best Friends Meet Again On The Soccer Pitch". Orlando City SC. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  16. "NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE VS ORLANDO PRIDE 3–1". Scorersway. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  17. "Orlando Pride Waives Midfielder Nickolette Driesse". 9 February 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  18. "HEAD COACH MICHELLE FRENCH NAMES USA'S FIFA U-20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP ROSTER". US Soccer. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  19. "NICKOLETTE DRIESSE". US Soccer. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  20. "Puerto Rico y Uruguay jugarán amistosos femeninos el 12 y 15 de junio" (in Spanish). 21 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  21. "Selección Femenina: Uruguay derrotó 3–0 a Puerto Rico en el Franzini con gran presentación". Fútbol uy (in Spanish). 15 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
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