Northport High Grad Allie Long Helping Team USA Win World Cup

NORTHPORT, NY — Allie Long and Crystal Dunn are two of 23 women representing team USA in the 2019 World Cup. But before they took the pitch on the world's biggest stage, they were both stars on Long Island.

Long, 31, was a box-to-box midfielder who started four years at the Northport school, then played at the University of North Carolina, eventually turning pro.

During Long's four years at Northport High, the team went undefeated each regular season and Newsday twice named her player of the year in 2004 and 2005. Long was seemingly born to play soccer — her great uncle was an avid fan who started the first girls club on Long Island, a team that Long's mom, Barb, grew up playing for, according to her Team USA profile.

It's Long's first appearance in the World Cup, but she represented her country 45 times over her long career, tallying six goals and three assists. She was also part of the team, with Dunn that represented the United States at the 2016 Olympics, even earning a player of the match award in a key game against rival France.

She's won at every step of her career, taking home a national championship as a senior at the University of North Carolina and winning two titles with the Portland Thorns FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Dunn, who started at defense in Team USA's last win against Spain, grew up in Rockville Centre and went to South Side High School, graduating in 2010. She played college soccer at the University of North Carolina, graduating in 2014 and plays professionally with the North Carolina Courage.

Dunn was named the National Gatorade High School Player of the year during her Senior season at South Side High, and went on to win the Hermann Trophy in college, awarded to the top player in the country.