The Orlando Pride made midfielder Nickolette Driesse out of Penn State their fourth-round selection (32nd overall) in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. Coming off an All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten Tournament team performance in her final year in Happy Valley, where she scored a goal and added six assists, Driesse seemed a solid addition late in the draft for Tom Sermanni.
But with the team typically playing a 4-3-3, and with Alanna Kennedy moving up into the midfield from the back line mid-season, Driesse found a lot of veteran competition for just a few slots upon her arrival in Orlando.