2024 NWSL Draft: Orlando Pride Select Penn State Midfielder/Defender Cori Dyke at No. 22

The Orlando Pride selected Penn State midfielder and defender Cori Dyke with their second-round pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft (22nd overall). The fifth-year senior was named the Big Ten Defender of the Year and a second-team All-American last season.

The Littleton, CO, native played and started 108 games for the Nittany Lions in her college career, recording 9,069 minutes, nine goals, and nine assists. She played as a central midfielder for the first four years in college, but moved to center back for her final season. Despite moving to the back line, the 2023 season was her most productive offensively, as she recorded five goals and six assists.

The midfielder got off to a great start to her collegiate career, being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Freshman Best XI First Team by Top Drawer Soccer. Her senior year she was named to the 2022 Big Ten Women’s All-Tournament Team and had her most successful season after moving to center back. In 2023, she was named Big Ten Defender of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team, and the United Soccer Coaches named her a second-team All-American and first-team All-North Region.

Dyke is the third player the Pride have drafted out of Penn State after they took Nickolette Driesse in 2017 and Kerry Abello in 2021. Abello and Dyke were teammates for three years at Penn State, so the Pride’s newest addition will have a familiar face at the club.

Internationally, Dyke has been a part of the United States Women’s National Team youth setup since the U-14 level. She’s made appearances for the USWNT U-14, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20, and U-23 teams.

What It Means for Orlando

Dyke has played both central midfield and center back at a high level, bringing with her useful versatility. She can help the Pride maintain possession in the midfield, but can also slide into the back line. The latter could be the most beneficial, as the Pride have already bolstered their midfield this season.

The Pride currently have their starting center backs for next year and drafted Tori Hansen out of the University of North Carolina in 2022. Carrie Lawrence will also be returning this season, providing more depth at the position. However, Lawrence missed all of last year after tearing her ACL during preseason, so it’s unknown how she’ll recover.

Similar to the club’s first round pick, Ally Lemos, Dyke has been with the USWNT at multiple levels and could miss time representing her country. But Haley Carter did an excellent job the past year building a starting lineup, so Dyke will have time to develop and her potential absence won’t be devastating to the team.