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Nikki Driesse
Nikki Driesse was hired as New York University's Assistant Women's Soccer Coach in July 2021. Her responsibilities include recruiting and working with the team’s attackers.
The Violets ended the 2023 season with a 14-3-2 record (3-2-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA), recording the second-most wins in a single season in program history. The team also competed in their first NCAA Championship Tournament since 2018, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen round after defeating two opponents and falling to UAA rival, the University of Rochester.
Driesse, along with Head Coach Scott Weddell and fellow Assistant Carmen Proffitt were named the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Region IV Staff of the Year.
Numerous student-athletes achieved honors both on and off the field with Gabriella Funk earning USC First Team All-America recognition and Kelli Keady garnering USC Second Team All-America honors. Both Funk and Keady also earned spots on the USC All-Region IV First Team, while Dominique Bevacqua and Eileen Xu were named to the All-Region Second Team and Makenzie Rodrigues to the Third Team. At the conference level, Funk and Keady earned First Team All-UAA honors, and Bevacque and Xu garnered Second Team recognition. Riley Mullady and Hope Neale earned All-UAA Honorable Mention.
As a team, the Violets set eight season records in points (191 – 71 goals, 49 assists), points per game (10.1), goals (71), goals per game (3.74), assists (49), assists per game (2.58), shots attempted (393), and shots per game (20.7). Between Funk and Keady, six individual season and career records were toppled. Funk achieved three career records with 82 points, 1.17 points per game and 24 assists throughout her career, which began in 2019. She also notched two season scoring records (35 points, 11 assists). Keady’s 14 goals earned her an individual season scoring record.
The Violets recorded their eighth straight winning campaign in 2022, going 9-3-5 overall and 3-3-1 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The season culminated with a four-game winning streak, three of those against UAA opponents.
Many of the players received honors for their performances during the 2022 season. Three Violets earned All-UAA recognition: Gabriella Funk (First Team), Kelli Keady and Samantha Rathe (Second Team). Funk was named to the United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region First Team, while Rathe and Tate Jordan were named to the Second Team.
The 2022 team set three program season records, ending the campaign #1 in total goals (51), goals per game (3.00) and shots per game (18.7).
In Driesse’s first season, the Violets posted an overall 8-7-1 record. The campaign included a five-game winning streak (September 18-29) in which NYU shutout each of its opponents.
Individually, many players received honors for their performances on the pitch. Funk was selected USC First Team All-Region IV, while she and Dominique Bevacqua earned First Team All-UAA honors. Jayla Lee received Honorable Mention All-UAA, while goalkeeper Riley Felsher was selected UAA Athlete of Week-Defense on November 1.
A 2017 graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Driesse was a two-year member and one-year captain of the Nittany Lions' women's soccer team. As a senior, she was named, All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, Academic All-Big Ten, and NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Second Team. Driesse led the team in assists (six) and recorded the game-winning goal in a 6-0 victory over Bucknell University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
In her first year at Penn State, Driesse played in all 27 games as the Nittany Lions won the NCAA Division I National Championship.
Prior to her time at Penn State, Driesse was a two-year member of the Florida State University women's soccer team. While there, she was the only Seminole freshman to play in all 28 matches, making 27 starts and resulting in 2,099 minutes on the pitch. Driesse was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team, Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, TopDrawerSoccer.com Freshmen Best XI Second Team and the ACC All-Academic Team.
As a sophomore, Driesse played in all 26 games as the Seminoles also captured the NCAA Division I National Championship.
Driesse has coaching experience, leading Northern Highlands (NJ) High School to league championships in 2019 and 2020 and to the state sectional final in 2020.
Also possessing professional playing experience, Driesse was drafted by the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2017, played for them and the New Jersey Sky Blue (2019), and competed for the Puerto Rican Women's National Team against Uruguay.
A native and resident of Wayne, NJ, Driesse also played on the United States U-17 and U-20 National Teams.
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