ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY (04/10/10) - The Long Island Fury know what it takes to compete at the highest level, and with their first signings for the Summer 2010 season in the East Conference of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), they go once again to a familiar well-spring of talent: the Albertson Fury Soccer Club. This re-knowned club has been the cornerstone of the Fury's two WPSL National Championship titles (2006 & 2009) and youth will once again be served this upcoming season as they compete in the new Central Division.

Defender Carly Beyar (Fairfield University, Fall '10), forward/midfielder Salma Tarik (Hofstra University), forward Laura Greene (Hofstra University), midfielder/defender Devin Pendergast (Albertson Fury '92), midfielder Nicole Choffel (Hofstra University), defender Alexandra Bushman (Georgetown University, Fall '10) and defender Emily Menges (Georgetown University, Fall '10) will look to make their mark this summer for new Fury Head Coach Mike Demakis. Familiarity will not breed contempt, as all but two of their first seven signings hail from Albertson S.C. - Greene (Sachem Blazers) and Tarik, who played her youth soccer at Rosamond High School in California and collegiately at Cal State-Northridge before her family moved to Long Island.

After missing last season due to injury, Long Island is very pleased to welcome back Beyar for the 2010 season. The 17-year-old defender from South Hempstead also plays for State champion South Side High School and will be playing at Fairfield University this fall. Carly was honored as All-American and All-Long Island in 2009, All-County in both 2008 and 2009, All-State First Team in 2008, All-State Second Team in 2009 and All-Conference in 2007.

"Carly is a tremendous athlete with a mature soccer sense, understands the game really well and is a fantastic one-on-one defender," said Fury Director of Football Paul Riley, who will lead the Philadelphia Independence of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) in their 2010 home opener tomorrow against the Atlanta Beat. "She is born to lead and bred to play at the top level."

This will be Tarik's first season with the defending national champions. After being born in Egypt, the Tarik family moved to California where Salma competed in soccer, basketball, cross country, track & field plus volleyball at Rosamond H.S. Tarik was a First Team All-League selection in soccer in 2003 & 2004, while earning the Player Of The Year Award as a senior and has WPSL playing experience, as she was a Team Of The Week selection with the Los Angeles Rampage (now LAFC Chelsea) in 2008.

"Salma is silky smooth with superb ability on the ball and a sophisticated soccer mind," said Riley. "Very dangerous around and inside the penalty area. Her experience will help our young Furyites in their development at this level. Salma is a great addition to the squad and will be a major plus in our desire to get to the Final Four."

Greene played for Sachem East H.S. plus the Sachem Blazers of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and now scores goals for the Hofstra Pride. At Hofstra, she received the Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner's Academic Award.

"Laura has speed, skill and a tremendous appetite for the game," said Riley. "She is a real competitor and her ability to play various positions will help the Long Island Fury in our bid to return to the Final Four. Laura has been on our radar for a while and we hope she will add some steel & experience to our youthful squad."

Pendergast will be returning to the team for the 2010 season and is a student at St. John the Baptist H.S. in West Islip, where she was named to the National Honor Society & the High Honor Roll, in addition to being the soccer team's MVP as well as All-League, All-Long Island and All-State. Devin led the Cougars to the state championship last fall, winning Player Of The Year honors.

"Quick, sharp with a great ability to beat defenders, she is a typical No. 10 - confident on the ball, fantastic one-on-one ability, superb provider, ruthless shot," said Riley. "Fantastic future and a player who can change the game with a moment of brilliance."

Long is very pleased to announce that Choffel is also returning to the team. Nicole attended the Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, where she received the All-American Achievement Scholar Award and was the Hilltoppers' MVP for four consecutive seasons (2004-07). Other awards for the former Region I standout include: Scholar-Athlete Award (2004-07), Best Offensive Player (2006-07), Times Ledger All-Queens First Team (2005-07) and Queens Times-Ledger Player Of The Year in 2007.

"Nicole brings a lot of soccer maturity and experience to the Long Island Fury," said Demakis. "She has very good vision on the field and plays with a certain calmness about her."

Bushman is set to join the team this summer, as the Manhattanite plays club soccer for the Albertson Fury '91. Alexandra also plays and studies at the Bronx High School of Science, where she won the Wingate Award as the PSAL Player of the Year.

"Alex is a first-class defender," said Riley. "Tough as nails, simple yet effective. Brilliant man-to-man marker with a thirst for tackling, a great game day performer."

Garden City-native Menges is another returnee to the team, having served as team captain for Albertson Fury '91. Her soccer awards at Garden City H.S. include being honored as All-Class A in 2007, All-County in 2007 & 2008 and All-State and All-Long Island in both 2008 & 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.

"Emily has all the physical attributes one looks for in a top notch defender," said 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 tremedous speed to close down opponents."

About the Long Island Fury: Founded in 2006 as a WPSL sports franchise, the Long Island Fury have won the WPSL National Championship on two occasions (2006 & 2009). Seven Long Island alumnae - Gina and Tina DiMartino, Kelly Henderson, Ali Long, Rebecca Moros, Alex Singer and Sue Weber - have used their phenomenal play for the Fury to be drafted as professional players in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). Their former coach Paul Riley is now the Head Coach of the WPS Philadelphia Independence. For more information, contact Public Relations Director Randy Vogt by phone at (516) 364-7285 or by e-mail at rvogt1@verizon.net.

About the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL): The WPSL is a 50-plus team national league with five conferences starting in 2010 and is the largest women's soccer league in the world. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The WPSL's mission is to provide the highest level of soccer in our effort to: bring affordable & quality family entertainment to the community; display positive role models for our youth; while, being a stepping stone for aspiring players to Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).

For more information, visit our official website at http://www.wpsl.info, phone us at 1-800-854-0913 or contact us via email at media@wpslsoccer.com. You can also keep up with our league on our social media networking sites on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter!!

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