U.S. Soccer names Toni Pressley as head coach for U.S. U-18 Women’s National Team

ATLANTA – U.S. Soccer has named Toni Pressley, a long-time professional player and former U.S. youth international, as the new head coach for the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team.

“We are excited to have Toni join our coaching team,” said U.S. Soccer Head of Youth Women’s National Team Development Tracey Kevins. “The U-18 age group is a key milestone for our young female players, offering both top talents and late developers a crucial step on the pathway to our senior Women’s National Team. Toni has lived the experience our players will be having and will be well-equipped to assist our players in maximizing their potentials.”

As part of an integrated Women’s Youth National Team coaching staff headed by Kevins and guided by U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes, Pressley will work closely with U.S. U-19 WNT head coach Carrie Kveton and U.S. U-20 WNT head coach Vicky Jepson in the cycle to prepare teams for the bi-annual FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup tournaments.

“I’m truly honored and excited for the opportunity to represent the U.S. Soccer Federation in a coaching capacity,” said Pressley.“As someone who came up through the program as a youth player, I have a sincere appreciation for what it means to wear the crest and how important these years are in the lives of our young players. Getting to work with Tracey Kevins and all of my fellow YNT coaches is a full-circle moment that I’m deeply grateful for. I look forward to contributing and evolving in an environment that fosters both learning and growth.”

Pressley comes to U.S. Soccer after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at UMF Afturelding in Iceland’s second division. She also coached Afturelding’s Under-16s and Under-20s. She finished her pro career in 2023 at Breiðablik in Iceland, capping a 12-year post-college playing career that included stints in the NWSL with the Washington Spirit, Western New York Flash, Houston Dash and Orlando Pride. She also played in Russia with Ryazan VDV and in Australia with Canberra United.

During the summers while she was in college, Pressley played for the Boston Renegades and the Washington Freedom Futures in the W-League. She was drafted in the second round, 13th overall, by the Philadelphia Independence of WPS, but the league folded before the seasons began.

Pressley was a key player on the USA’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Team in 2010, partnering in the center of the defense with current U.S. Women’s National Team star Crystal Dunn (who would help lead the USA to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title two years later). Pressley, who also played for the USA at the U-17, U-18 and U-23 levels, finished her U-20 international career with 23 caps and two goals. She finished her U-23 WNT career with eight caps and one goal. She had five caps at the U-17 WNT level.

Pressley will be the second head coach for the U.S. Youth Girls’ and Women’s National Teams program (Katie Schoepfer was the first) to have played for the USA in the age group in which she is coaching – she had three U-18 WNT caps. She is the first head coach in YNT history to have represented the USA in a youth Women’s World Cup. She is also the first Black head coach in the YNT program’s history.

Pressley holds “B” coaching licenses with both UEFA and U.S. Soccer. Before coaching professionally, Pressley gained experience coaching both girls’ high school and club soccer in her home state of Florida. Pressley was a star at Florida State University from 2008-2011, playing in 96 matches for the Seminoles and earning All-American honors.

The hiring gives U.S. Soccer full-time head coaches for the U-15GNT (Vanessa Mann), U-16/U-17GNT (Ciara Crinion), U-17/U-16WNT (Katie Schoepfer), U-18WNT (Toni Pressley), U-19/U-20WNT (Carrie Kveton) and U-20/U-19WNT (Vicky Jepson) with only a U.S. U-23 WNT head coach still to be hired.

The hiring of full-time coaches for each of the age groups is part of the continuing focus on the U.S. Way philosophy which emphasizes increased programming for Youth National Teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance through the pathway to the senior National Team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship.