Five enter Long Island Soccer Players Hall of Fame

On Saturday in Melville, five Long Island soccer legends became immortalized when they were inducted into the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame at the Huntington Hilton.

The 2025 class includes Lloyd Monsen, Edner Breton, Manny Matos, Keith Van Eron and Michele O’Brien.

O’Brien, a 44-year-old Plainview native, graduated from St. Anthony’s in 1998 and Florida International University in 2001. At FIU, she scored a program-record 58 career goals.

O’Brien played professionally from 2000 through 2012, and spent 2000 through 2006 playing for the Long Island Lady Riders. Her 75 career points rank first all-time in club history. Now, she is entering her fifth year as the head coach of DePaul women’s soccer.

“When you think of how many players play on Long Island and quantify that … to be selected amongst just a handful of those players over the years, this is very special,” O’Brien told Newsday. “I just think it’s fun to represent the talent that Long Island does breed.”

Her induction on Saturday was the consequence of a decision she made when she was 15 and suffered a heart attack during a gym class that required open-heart surgery. Rather than retire, she decided to keep playing soccer.

“The natural decision was to say, ‘Well, I’m going to keep playing and hope for the best,’” O’Brien said. “I’m so happy. Where would I be if I didn’t stick with it. I didn’t really ever consider another option.”

Monsen played in the American Soccer League for 11 seasons and won three championships for the New York Hakoah-Americans, and is also a National Soccer Hall of Fame member.

Breton played  in the ASL with the New York Apollo and New York United for seven years and won league championships in 1975 and 1978.

Matos helped Adelphi win the 1974 NCAA Division II men’s soccer national championship and later played professionally for four years with the Seattle Sounders.

Van Eron was a stalwart in goal for Whitman during his high school days and went on to become a 13-year professional. In 1986, he was named the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Goalkeeper of the Year.

Addie Mattei-Iaia was given the Paul LeSueur Ambassador of the Game Award, which is named for the late first executive director of the Hall and given to “an outstanding member of the Long Island soccer community that has shown extraordinary sacrifice and leadership in the community and beyond.”

Mattei-Iaia, 86, served as the Long Island Junior Soccer League’s president from 2004 until 2015 and was on its board of directors for 35 years. She was also the chairperson for the LIJSL Annual Convention for 25 years.

“I’m really overwhelmed to be honored by my colleagues,” Mattei-Iaia told Newsday. “To be honored by your colleagues is extremely gratifying. The support from LIJSL, the state association and all the way through — I just can’t explain it. My husband always tells me that I’m never at a loss for words, but this is the first time I am.”