VIDEO: West Shore’s Toni Pressley Has Made Her Name In World of Women’s Soccer

By  //  April 10, 2017

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

TONI PRESSLEY – 2015 INDUCTEE

Toni Pressley
Toni Pressley

• Soccer America MVP AT FSU
• Parade All-American At West Shore
• Adidas Youth All-America Team

BEGAN AT RODES PARK

Many people leave colder climates to move to Florida, but Toni Pressley traded toasty Melbourne for chilly Buffalo, New York. Pressley has a very good reason, for she is part of the Western New York Flash, a women’s professional soccer team.

Pressley, who attended West Shore Junior/Senior High School, has made her name in the world of women’s pro soccer. In her defense position, she played for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League.

She also played with the Boston Renegades and the Washington Freedom Futures, both of the W-League.

Her rise to pro soccer began in West Melbourne, where the then five-year-old Pressley began playing soccer in the numerous youth games held at Rodes Park. It was an instant click.

“My mom had played all kinds of sports and she encouraged me,” said Pressley.

At West Shore, Pressley distinguished herself on the soccer field as team captain during her senior year, when she led the team to the Class 3A Regionals finals.

 soccer scholarship at Florida State University allowed Pressley to study criminology while playing defender and forward for the Seminoles from 2008 to 2011. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
soccer scholarship at Florida State University allowed Pressley to study criminology while playing defender and forward for the Seminoles from 2008 to 2011. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

Her athletic talent earned her a spot on the 2007 NSCAA/Adidas Youth All-America Team and she 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.

Soccer wasn’t the only game in town for Pressley, who also excelled on track and field at West Shore, helping the school’s 4x100m. relay team snag a district and regional championship in 2005. In 2007, she also garnered the 2007 district championship in shotput.

Pressley played for the United States’ national youth teams and was part of the under-20 team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Region III of the Olympic Development Program tapped Pressley for its talent pool from 2006 to 2008. She was the leading scorer in the Region III league in both 2006 and 2007, the same two years that she was a member of the Florida ODP team.

STELLAR CAREER AT FSU

A soccer scholarship at Florida State University allowed Pressley to study criminology while playing defender and forward for the Seminoles from 2008 to 2011.

Pressley, who attended West Shore Junior/Senior High School, has made her name in the world of women’s pro soccer. In her defense position, she played for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Pressley, who attended West Shore Junior/Senior High School, has made her name in the world of women’s pro soccer. In her defense position, she played for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

Recognition of her abilities came often. She was named to the All-ACC Second Team as a freshman, and was a Hermann Trophy Watch List candidate in 2010 and 2011.

In 2010, Pressley was named Soccer America MVP and also earned NSCAA Southeast Region First Team honors. That same year, she ranked number 41 on the Top Drawer National Top 100 Women.

The Atlantic Coast Conference named her Player of the Week after a particularly dramatic game-winning heroics against the University of Florida.

She also participated in the Three Nations Tournament in Sweden in 2011 and helped win the Four Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain, as part of the U.S. women’s national under-23 team.

Pressley played for a year with the Ryazan VDV in the Russian Women’s Football Championship, top division of women’s soccer in Russia.

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“I had a very good experience while in Russia,” said Pressley.

Now 25, Pressley expects many years of soccer ahead for her.

“There are players in their later 30’s still doing well on the field,” she said.

Pressley currently plays for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League.

When she does finally have to stop chasing the soccer ball, she plans to open her own personal training firm.

THE 2017 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on Friday, May 12. 

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CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.