2020 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Select Midfielder Taylor Kornieck at No. 3

The Orlando Pride selected midfielder Taylor Kornieck from the University of Colorado with the third pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. The Pride were able to draft Kornieck after they moved up in the draft. After Chicago got the second and third picks from Sky Blue FC, Orlando then traded to get the third pick from the Red Stars. The Pride sent Rachel Hill, allocation money, the 19th pick in this year’s draft, and next year’s first-round draft pick to Chicago. In exchange, Orlando got the third and 26th picks in the 2020 draft.

The 6-foot-1 Kornieck played 82 games for Colorado in 2019, starting all of them. She scored 39 goals and grabbed 24 assists in her four years. She also managed 15 game-winning goals, and went a perfect nine for nine from the penalty spot. She is Colorado’s all-time leader in points.

Kornieck has experience in the youth national team setup as well. She captained the Under-18 USWNT in 2016. She played in six matches for the U-19 and U-20 national teams in 2019, and racked up a goal and two assists in those games. She did not compete in 2018 because of injury.

The midfielder has won a plethora of honors during her collegiate career. In 2016 she was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, was named to the First-Team All-Pac 12, and Top Drawer Soccer Freshman Best XI first team. In 2017 and 2018 she was on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, and she also made the ESPNW Player of the Year watch List in 2018.

Kornieck is the third player the Pride have drafted out of Colorado, joining Danica Evans and Erin Greening as Buffaloes who were picked by Orlando.

What it means for Orlando

Kornieck is described as a physical midfielder who is dominant in the air. This certainly plays into Marc Skinner’s philosophy and she can be a regular in the midfield. With many of the international players missing time this summer because of the Olympics, she could be thrown into the starting lineup rather quickly.

The biggest part of this move is trading Hill to the Red Stars. Hill had been a regular for Orlando the past few years, but the coaching staff obviously did not see enough progress from her last season. She will have a good chance to start for Chicago. This could leave Orlando in need of another winger.

Here of some highlights of Kornieck: