Toni Pressley

Toni Deion Pressley (born February 19, 1990) is an American professional soccer defender who currently plays for Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for the Western New York Flash and Washington Spirit of the NWSL, Ryazan VDV in the Russian Women's Football Championship league, the top division of women's soccer in Russia.[1] Pressley played for various United States national youth teams and is a member of the United States women's national under-23 soccer team.[2][3]

Toni Pressley
Pressley with Washington Spirit in 2013
Personal information
Full name Toni Deion Pressley
Date of birth (1990-02-19) February 19, 1990
Place of birth Melbourne, Florida, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 3
Youth career
Lions Soccer Club
Space Coast United
West Shore High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Florida State Seminoles 96 (11)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Boston Renegades
2009 Washington Freedom
2012 Western New York Flash
2012 Ryazan VDV 20 (1)
2013–2014 Washington Spirit 17 (0)
2015 Western New York Flash 1 (0)
2015 Houston Dash 15 (0)
2016– Orlando Pride 54 (3)
2017–2018 → Canberra United (loan) 12 (2)
National team‡
2006 United States U17
2007–2008 United States U18
2010 United States U20 19
2013 United States U23
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 12, 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of February 16, 2013

Early life

Toni attended West Shore Junior – Senior High School where she was team captain as a senior, leading the team to the Class 3A Regional finals. In 2007, she earned a spot on the NSCAA/adidas Youth All-America Team and received first team All-Space Coast honors. As a senior in 2008, she was named Parade All-American and a top 50 recruit by Soccer Buzz. Pressley also competed on the track and field team at West Shore, winning a district and regional championship in 2005 as a member of 4 × 100 m relay as well as the 2007 district championship in the shot put.[2][4]

Pressley was also an Olympic Development Program Region III pool member for three years from 2006 to 2008 and was the leading scorer in the Region III league in 2006 and 2007. She was a member of the Florida Olympic Development Program team in 2006 and 2007. Pressley also played for local club team, Space Coast United.[4]

Florida State University, 2008–2011

Pressley attended Florida State University majoring in criminology and playing defender and forward for the Seminoles from 2008 to 2011. She finished her collegiate career tied for third in game appearances with 96. As a freshman, she was named to the All-ACC Second Team.[4]

She was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week after "game-winning heroics" in a match against University of Florida.[5]

Pressley was a Hermann Trophy Watch List candidate in 2010 and 2011.[6] In 2010, she was named Soccer America MVP: First-Team All-American, TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Season – Third Team, NSCAA All-American Fourth Team, and All-ACC First Team. She also earned NSCAA Southeast Region First Team honors and was ranked number 41 on the Top Drawer National Top 100 Women the same year. In 2011, she was named to the NSCAA All-American Third Team and ACC All-Tournament Team.[4][7]

Club career

W-League: Boston Renegades and Washington Freedom Futures, 2008–2011

Pressley played with the Boston Renegades of the W-League during the summer of 2008. She made five appearances with the team for a total of 167 minutes.[8]

Pressley played for the Washington Freedom Futures of the W-League from 2009 to 2010. She made eight appearances for a total of 693 minutes and provided one assist.[9]

Drafted to Philadelphia Independence, 2012

Pressley was selected in the second round (13th overall) of the 2012 WPS Draft by the Philadelphia Independence; however, the league folded before the season began.[10][11]

Western New York Flash, 2012

In 2012, she played for Western New York Flash in the WPSL Elite, as center-back.[12][13][14][15] Pressley helped the Flash win the league championship after scoring an equalizer in the last minute of stoppage time. Teammate Angela Salem scored the deciding penalty kick to give Western New York the WPSL Elite championship, defeating the Chicago Red Stars 4–2 on penalty kicks after the teams finished tied 1–1 at the end of 120 minutes.[16]

Ryazan VDV, 2012–2013

Pressley played for Ryazan VDV in Russia during the 2012–2013 season.[1][17][18]

Washington Spirit, 2013–2014

Pressley signed with the Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League in June 2013. She made her debut for the club on June 15, 2013 during a match against her former club, the Western New York Flash.[19][20][21]

Western New York Flash and Houston Dash, 2015
Pressley at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

In February 2015, it was announced that Pressley had been traded to the Western New York Flash for the 2015 season. In April, she started and played a full ninety minutes during the team's season opener against the Seattle Reign FC which resulted in a 5–1 defeat.[22] The following month, she was traded to the Houston Dash in exchange for midfielder Ashley Nick.[23]

Orlando Pride, 2016–present

On November 2, 2015, Pressley was selected by Orlando Pride in the 2015 NWSL Expansion Draft.[24] On October 12, 2019, after undergoing surgery for breast cancer in August, Pressley appeared in the Pride's final game of the season. She signed a one year contract extension with an option for an additional year in January 2021.[25]

Loan to Canberra United, 2017–2018

In October 2017, Pressley joined Australian club Canberra United for the 2017–18 W-League season.[26]

International career

Pressley has represented the United States on various youth national youth teams including the under-17, under-18, under-20, and under-23 teams.

Pressley was a member of the under-20 team that captured gold at the CONCACAF Qualifier thus earning an automatic berth in the FIFA World Cup. She played every minute of every game in the tournament as a member of the team's defensive line and tallied an assist in a 5–0 victory over Switzerland. The United States reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany. In June 2011, Pressley participated with the U-23 team at the Three Nations Tournament in Falun, Sweden, from June 12–22, 2011.

Pressley competed for the United States women's national under-23 soccer team and won the Four Nations tournament in La Manga Club, Spain.[3][27][28]

Personal life

Pressley is a vegan and self-described animal lover. She says veganism has helped her become a better athlete.[29]

In August 2019, Pressley began treatment for breast cancer.[30][31]

In January 2021, Pressley announced her engagement to Orlando Pride teammate Marta.[32][33]

References
  1. "Players Abroad: 13 Americans Playing in Germany this Weekend". ourgamemagazine.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  2. "Toni Pressley player profile". U.S.Soccer.
  3. "U-23 WNT Opens Year in La Manga, Spain with Three International Matches". U.S.Soccer.
  4. "Toni Pressley player profile". Florida State University. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  5. "FSU's Toni Pressley Receives Weekly Honors". WCTV. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  6. "FSU's Pressley, McCarty Named To MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List". WCTV. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  7. "No Mami, no problem for Seminoles". ESPN. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  8. "2008 Boston Renegades stats". W-League. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  9. "2010 Washington Freedom Futures stats". W-League. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  10. "Ranking the Best Athletes Available in the 2012 WPS Draft". Women Talk Sports. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  11. "Independence takes Hagen, 5 others in WPS draft". Philly.com. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  12. "Player Profile Toni Pressley". wnyflash.com.
  13. "Flash Draw Fury 0–0". wnyflash.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013.
  14. "WPSL News: Toni Pressley Suddenly A Member of Western New York". allwhitekit.com.
  15. "Flash add US U-23 National Team Member Toni Pressley". Western New York Flash. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  16. "Salem penalty kick gives Flash WPSL Elite title". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  17. "Johnston and Mewis headed to Spain". SoccerAmerica.com.
  18. "Liverpool Makes Off Season Moves". Soccer 265. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  19. "Spirit pick up defender Toni Pressley from Russian club Ryazan VDV". Washington Spirit. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  20. "Washington Spirit to Add Defender Toni Pressley". Our Sports Central. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  21. "Flash Defeat Spirit 2–0". National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  22. "Dash Acquire Defender Toni Pressley from WNY Flash". National Women's Soccer League. May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  23. "Houston Dash acquire defender Toni Pressley from Western New York Flash". Houston Dash. May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  24. Tenorio, Paul (November 2, 2015). "Orlando Pride continues building roster through NWSL expansion draft". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  25. "Orlando Pride Signs Defender Toni Pressley to New Contract". Orlando Pride. January 7, 2021.
  26. Dutton, Chris (October 25, 2017). "Canberra United sign Orlando Pride defender Toni Pressley for W-League season". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  27. "West Shore grad Pressley to play with U-23 soccer team". Florida Today. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  28. "U.S. U-23 WNT Defeats England 2–1 To Win Four Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain". U.S.Soccer. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013.
  29. Lupica, Diana (December 14, 2017). "Top Soccer Player Toni Pressley: 'Veganism Helped Me Become A Better Athlete'". plantbasednews.org. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  30. "Orlando Pride Defender Toni Pressley Diagnosed with Breast Cancer". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  31. Poe, Julia; USA, Pro Soccer (August 7, 2019). "Orlando Pride defender Toni Pressley diagnosed with breast cancer". Pro Soccer USA.
  32. Poe, Julia (January 4, 2021). "Orlando Pride stars Marta, Toni Pressley get engaged".
  33. Silva, Ana Carolina (August 17, 2019). "Toni Pressley, namorada de Marta, treina após cirurgia de câncer de mama". UOL.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved September 12, 2019.
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