Thursday, October 1, 2026
For soccer world champion Crystal Dunn of the United States Under-20 Women’s National Team, which won the Under-20 World Cup in Japan on Sept. 8, there were no trips to Disney World or a ticker-tape parade in Lower Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes.
Far from the limelight, the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) alumna from South Hempstead simply returned to playing college soccer.
Dunn had an Under-20 Women’s World Cup reunion of sorts when her No. 6-ranked University of North Carolina Tar Heels drew 2-2 at the fifth-ranked University of Virginia Cavaliers on Sept. 16. Scoring both Tar Heel goals was Kealia Ohai, who netted the only goal in 44th minute of the Under-20 final against Germany off an assist by Dunn. Keeper Bryane Heaberlin came up big in the late stages for North Carolina as she made saves on shots by Morgan Brian, her Under-20 teammate. Their Under-20 coach, Steve Swanson, is also the Cavaliers’ coach.
Dunn played for Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s (ENYYSA) Olympic Development Program for six years and used that experience as a springboard to receive college scholarships and to represent the USA internationally.
In the LIJSL, the largest league in ENYYSA, Dunn played for the Rockville Centre Power, Rockville Centre Tornadoes and Albertson Fury ’93.
“Crystal has a genuine love for the game and a true desire to be the very best,” said Tim Bradbury, ENYYSA’s director of Coaching Instruction who coached her on the Power and Tornadoes. “She was the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave. Now when she comes home to Rockville Centre, she often plays against some of the boys’ teams I train.”
“Crystal has really adapted her game to become a world-class defender,” added Paul Riley, her coach with the Albertson Fury, “The assist in the final sums her strengths: speed, great one-on-one ability and the poise to make the final ball count. She will play on the full women’s national team one day.”
Dunn was the Soccer America Freshman of the Year in 2010.
— Randy Vogt
