Swarthmore's Morgan Langley Signs Professional Contract With Harrisburg City Islanders
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Morgan Langley '11 of the Swarthmore College men's soccer team has signed a professional contract with the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL PRO League, the team announced on Thursday afternoon.
The City Islanders are the official USL PRO affiliate of the MLS' Philadelphia Union, which plays its home games just seven miles from Swarthmore's campus at PPL Park in Chester. As the Union's top affiliate, City Islander players could be called up to the major league club at any point during the season.
Langley wrapped up his Garnet career with one of the best offensive seasons in program history, leading the team with 14 goals, 14 assists and a program single-season record 42 points. The native of Hawaii reached several milestones during the 2010 season, becoming the program's all-time leader in career points (95) and assists (27) while finishing in the top 10 nationally in assists, assists per game and points per game. For his efforts, he was named the 2010 Centennial Conference Player of the Year, received two All-American honors, and was named to the NSCAA All-Region First Team and ECAC Division III South Region First Team.
With the help of Langley, the Garnet captured the 2010 Centennial Conference Championship, reached the second round of the NCAA Championships and achieved the first No. 1 national ranking in program history.
"When I first found out that I made the team, I was very relieved because I had been out there on trial for about two-and-a-half months," Langley said. "But once it sank in that I made the team, that's when I realized that my dream had come true, I was a professional athlete."
He added that he did not think that playing soccer professionally was an option until the later stages of his senior season. Langley – who recorded 73 of his 95 career points during his junior and senior seasons - said that playing at Swarthmore and at the Division III level helped him develop as a player and a person.
"The soccer program at Swarthmore, unlike at the Division I level, allowed me to develop as a player and get playing time. I was initially small coming into college, so I don't think a Division I program would have allowed me the time to develop. The coaching staff and my teammates at Swarthmore created such a good environment within the program."
Head coach Eric Wagner was ecstatic about Langley's signing.
"I'm over the moon," said the ninth year head coach of the Garnet. "I'm proud of the fact that Morgan has overcome an awful lot of difficulties, an awful lot of obstacles and stuck with the game plan of his own development though this whole thing."
Langley, whose contract with the City Islanders is for one season, is the second member of the Swarthmore College men's soccer program to sign a professional contract during the 2010-11 season; Ladulé Lako Lo Sarah '09 signed a one-year contract to play professional soccer with 1st Division club FK Bregalnica Stip in Macedonia in September.
"It's very unique for a school like Swarthmore to have a professional athlete in any sport, but to have it happen so quickly back-to-back I think it highlights that this is an elite program. Our results, the credit that we have been given in polls and our NCAA tournament runs show that. But now, our players are also showing that they are capable of playing at the next level," Wagner said.
Langley was one of four player signings announced by the City Islanders on Thursday afternoon; Jason Hotchkin, Brian Ombiji, and Phil Tuttle were also brought on board for the 2011 season.
The City Islanders will open the regular season at the Skyline Sports Complex on Harrisburg's City Island against the in-state rival Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, April 16th (7:00 p.m.).
City Islanders Website: http://www.cityislanders.com/
