The Long Island Fury, defending Women’s Premier Soccer League national champions, is very pleased to announce that 17-year-old defender Emily Menges of Garden City is returning to the team for the 2010 season. Emily could see action with both the women’s team and new under-20 squad.
“Emily has all the physical attributes one looks for in a top notch defender,” commented Fury head coach Michael Demakis. “She has excellent size and is considered a solid all-around defender with very good ball skills, excellent in the air, reads the game extremely well, and she possesses tremendous speed to close down opponents.”
Besides competing for the Long Island Fury, Menges plays club soccer for Albertson Fury ‘91, having served as team captain, and school soccer for Garden City High School. At Garden City, coach Mike Hudley will put her at forward to score the tying goal with a few minutes left even though she ordinarily plays in the defensive half of the field.
Her soccer awards at Garden City High School include being honored as All-Class A in 2007, All-County in 2007 and 2008, All-State and All-Long Island in both 2008 and 2009.
Besides excelling academically as a member of the National Honor Society, Menges was named All-American in indoor track from 2007 to 2009 and All-American in outdoor track in 2008 plus was the New York State champ in the 1,000 meters in 2008. Not too surprising since soccer and track depend on healthy feet, she finds the time to run her own shoe designing business. Georgetown University is lucky to have her as a student starting this fall.
Founded in 2006 as a Women’s Premier Soccer League franchise, the Long Island Fury won the WPSL national championship in both 2006 and 2009. Seven Long Island Fury alumnae — Gina and Tina DiMartino, Kelly Henderson, Ali Long, Rebecca Moros, Alex Singer and Sue Weber — used their phenomenal play for the Fury to become current professional players in Women’s Professional Soccer. Their former coach, Paul Riley, now coaches the Philadelphia Independence franchise in that same league.
