Pressley, a Melbourne native and a former Florida State seminole was well traveled before she landed with the Pride. She played for seven different women professional teams before joining the Pride in 2015 via the NWSL Expansion Draft.
Pride defender Ali Krieger played with Pressley during her stint with the Washington Spirit from 2013-2014 and has seen first-hand her transformation.
“She’s has grown so much as a player, just defensively and her vision on the ball has grown,” Krieger said. “I can see it from the days we played in DC together. So, it’s really encouraging, and I know how hard she worked in training.”
Krieger trained with Pressley in the offseason and is impressed with the amount of effort that she put into her training.
“In the offseason, I was down here early January preparing – just for the season and we were out every single day, Kriger said. “Pressley was out at the training facility every single day; sprinting, training individually and together doing any drills.”
Pressley is now noticeably leaner and more energized on the pitch. According to an ESPN article, she has followed a vegan diet for the past four months.
“She’s been very strong,” continued Krieger. “She’s been very confident and I think each game she’s growing. I can see that this year she’s done so well in the way that she’s formed into the backline. Obviously, we switch game-to-game but you can see her taking advantage of the opportunity and solidifying that spot.”
Pressley played a vital role in shutting down the North Carolina Courage’s attack last Sunday in the Pride’s 3-1 victory and figures to be a stable going forward.
“From seeing her in DC and seeing her concentration now and even in the offseason preparing for the season; fighting, clawing, and scratching into that starting eleven, I’m so proud of her and the way she’s handled herself very professionally,” Krieger said. “I’m very impressed and I’m very happy that she’s taking the opportunity. She’s running with it and it’s only helping us.”
