Megan Montefusco

Megan Leigh Montefusco (née Oyster; born September 3, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League. She has been capped internationally at senior level by the United States.

Megan Montefusco
Montefusco playing for the UCLA Bruins in 2014
Personal information
Full name Megan Leigh Montefusco
Birth name Megan Leigh Oyster[1]
Date of birth (1992-09-03) September 3, 1992
Place of birth Naperville, Illinois, United States
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 5
Youth career
1998–2011 Windy City Pride
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 UCLA Bruins 90 (2)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Chicago Red Stars
2015–2016 Washington Spirit 35 (1)
2015–2017 → Newcastle Jets (loan) 24 (2)
2017 Boston Breakers 23 (0)
2018–2019 Reign FC 40 (1)
2020–2021 Houston Dash 21 (0)
2022– Orlando Pride 36 (0)
International career‡
2008 United States U17
2011 United States U20
2017 United States 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 15, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 9, 2017

Montefusco has previously played for the Chicago Red Stars in the Women's Premier Soccer League, for NWSL teams Washington Spirit, Boston Breakers, Reign FC and Houston Dash, as well as the Newcastle Jets in the Australian W-League.

Early life

Raised in Naperville, Illinois, Montefusco attended Neuqua Valley High School where she led the soccer to team to a 24–0 record and first place national ranking.[1][2] A four-time all-state selection and three-time NSCAA Youth All-American, she was named All-American by both ESPN RISE and Parade magazines in 2010, and won Gatorade State Player of the Year for Illinois the following year.[1]

Montefusco played club soccer for Windy City Pride from 1998 to 2011 and was a member of the regional Olympic Development Program (ODP) for five years.[1] Prior to leaving for college, Montefusco played briefly for the Chicago Red Stars in the Women's Premier Soccer League in 2011.[3] Chicago topped the Midwest Conference North Division and reached the Championship final, eventually losing to Orange County Waves in extra-time 2–1.[4]

Collegiate career

Montefusco attended the University of California, Los Angeles where she played four seasons of college soccer for the Bruins from 2011 to 2014 while majoring in sociology. She joined as the number 21 ranked recruit in the country and first in Illinois by Top Drawer Soccer.[1] Montefusco played in 18 of 21 matches as a freshman under B. J. Snow, making seven starts. She scored her first Bruins goal and only goal of the 2011 season in a 1–0 win over Rutgers on September 4.[5] In 2012, she made 22 appearances as a sophomore but none as a starter. In 2013 under new head coach Amanda Cromwell, Montefusco ranked fourth on the team in minutes played as the Bruins claimed the Pac-12 Conference title before also winning the first NCAA National Championship title in program history.[6] She received All-Tournament honors and served the assist to the game-winning goal during the final, a 1–0 win in extra-time over Florida State Seminoles.[1][7][8] As a senior in 2014, Montefusco started in all 24 of the Bruins' games and helped lead a defensive line that recorded a school record 19 shut-outs, allowing six goals on the year.[1] UCLA retained the Pac-12 conference title and reached the 2014 NCAA College Cup quarterfinals before losing 2–1 to Virginia Cavaliers, the only game the Bruins gave up more than one goal in 2014.[9]

Club career

Washington Spirit, 2015–16

Montefusco was selected in the second round (13th overall) of the 2015 NWSL College Draft by the Washington Spirit, one of an NWSL record six strong draft class out of UCLA in 2015.[10] During the 2015 season, she started in all 20 matches for the team and became the first player in team history to play every minute of a single season.[11] She scored one goal, the opener in a 2–1 victory away to the Chicago Red Stars on August 16. The Spirit finished fourth during the regular season with a 8–6–6 record to advance to the playoffs[12] before losing 3–0 in the semifinals to Reign FC.[13] Montefusco was named the 2015 Washington Spirit Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.[14] In 2016, she made 17 appearances for the Spirit as the team finished second in the regular season, two points off Portland Thorns FC for the NWSL Shield, and reached the NWSL Championship for the first time in club history before losing the final on penalties after a 2–2 tie with Western New York Flash.[15]

Newcastle Jets (loans), 2015–17

On October 8, 2015, Montefusco joined Australian W-League club Newcastle Jets on loan for the 2015–16 season during the NWSL offseason and rejoined Newcastle for the 2016–17 season.[16] The team finished 6th and 5th, missing the playoffs both seasons. At the end of the 2016–17 season, Montefusco was named to the PFA W-League Team of the Season.[17]

Boston Breakers, 2017

On November 17, 2016, it was announced that Montefusco had been acquired by the Boston Breakers via trade along with the No. 3 and No. 9 overall picks in the 2017 NWSL College Draft and the No. 2 spot in the Distribution Ranking Order in exchange for Kristie Mewis, Kassey Kallman and the No. 1 spot in the Distribution Ranking Order.[18] She appeared in 23 of 24 matches during the 2017 season, playing the full 90 minutes in each as Boston finished second bottom ahead of Washington on goal difference.[19]

Reign FC, 2018–19

After Boston Breakers folded in January 2018, Montefusco was selected by Reign FC as the third pick in the 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft.[20] In her first season with Reign, Montefusco started 21 games and scored once as the team finished third, dropping from second with a final day defeat to Portland Thorns FC before losing in the playoff semifinals to the same opponent a week later.[21] She was a starter in all 20 of her appearances in 2019 before missing the last month of the season with a knee injury.[22]

Houston Dash, 2020–21

On February 3, 2020, Houston Dash acquired Montefusco in a trade with Reign FC along with Shea Groom and a second-round pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft in exchange for Sofia Huerta and Amber Brooks.[23] With the 2020 NWSL season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Montefusco eventually made her debut in the return to play replacement 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup tournament. She played in five games including the final as Houston beat the Chicago Red Stars 2–0 to claim the club's first trophy. Montefusco had missed the semifinal with fractured ribs but despite this, returned to the lineup and played the full 90 minutes in the final.[24] She played every minute of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup and made a further 21 appearances during the regular season as Houston finished in seventh-place, missing the playoffs by one point.[25]

Orlando Pride, 2022–present

On January 28, 2022, Orlando Pride acquired Montefusco in a trade with Houston along with $30,000 in allocation money and a third-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft in exchange for Marisa Viggiano.[26]

International career

Montefusco represented the United States at the under-16, under-18 and under-20 national team levels.[1] She received her first call-up to the United States senior team in March 2017 for a pair of friendlies against Russia.[27] She debuted on April 6 as a 68th minute substitute for Kelley O'Hara in a 4–0 win before appearing again as a substitute in the next game. In total, Montefusco played 58 minutes for the USWNT.[28]

Personal life

Montefusco's mother, Cindy, played softball and volleyball at Northern Illinois University. Her cousin, Brittany Bock, also played soccer professionally, overlapping NWSL careers in 2015 although the two never appeared in the same game.[1]

On December 4, 2021, she married former professional Atlantic League and Frontier League baseball player Anthony Montefusco in a ceremony at Old Chicago Main Post Office.[29][30] He had proposed during a hot air balloon flight in Colorado in August 2020.[31]

Career statistics

Club
As of October 15, 2023.[19]
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Playoffs Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Washington Spirit 2015 NWSL 201—10—211
2016 150—20—170
Total 351003000381
Newcastle Jets (loan) 2015–16 W-League 121———121
2016–17 121———121
Total 242000000242
Boston Breakers 2017 NWSL 230———230
Reign FC 2018 NWSL 201—10—211
2019 200———200
Total 401001000411
Houston Dash 2020 NWSL —50—2[lower-alpha 2]070
2021 21040——250
Total 210900020320
Orlando Pride 2022 NWSL 21050——260
2023 15041——191
Total 360910000451
Career total 179418140202035
  1. NWSL Challenge Cup
  2. NWSL Fall Series

International
As of April 9, 2017
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States 201720
Total20

Honors

UCLA Bruins

Houston Dash

Individual

See also

References
  1. "Megan Oyster". UCLA. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  2. Le Cren, Matt (July 21, 2015). "Megan Oyster and Washington Spirit to face Chicago Red Stars in NWSL". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  3. "Chicago Red Stars Bring In Nasenbenny, Oyster". boxscorenews.com. June 24, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  4. "Chicago Red Stars come up short in WPSL championship - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. August 1, 2011.
  5. "Bruins Down Rutgers, 1-0 in Home Opener". UCLA.
  6. "UCLA wins its first NCAA women's soccer title". Los Angeles Times. December 8, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  7. "UCLA Wins NCAA Soccer Title in OT". ESPN. December 9, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  8. "5 Burning Questions for the NCAA Women's Soccer Season". ESPN. August 21, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  9. "UCLA's NCAA Tournament Run Ends with 2-1 Defeat Against Virginia". UCLA.
  10. Yeo, Aubrey (January 21, 2015). "Bruins dominate 2015 NWSL draft with school-leading 6 picks". UCLA. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  11. "Megan Oyster — Washington Spirit". Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  12. Goff, Steven (September 10, 2015). "NWSL playoff preview: Ali Krieger to miss Washington Spirit match at Seattle". Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  13. Pentz, Matt (September 13, 2015). "Seattle Reign shuts out Washington Spirit, 3–0, in NWSL semifinal". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  14. "NWSL Player Spotlight: Megan Oyster". WOW Sports. August 17, 2019.
  15. "Western New York Flash win NWSL title on penalties after 124th-minute equalizer". The Guardian. October 10, 2016.
  16. "Dydasco, Oyster, and Raso Loaned to Australian Teams". Washington Spirit. October 8, 2015.
  17. "PFA Jetts W-League Team of the Season Unveiled". Professional Footballers Australia. February 8, 2017.
  18. "Breakers acquire defender Megan Oyster, draft picks from Washington – Boston Breakers". Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  19. "Megan Montefusco - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  20. "Reign FC select four former Breakers in dispersal draft". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  21. Cristobal, Jacob (September 15, 2018). "Seattle Reign FC season comes to an end with a 1-2 loss at Portland Thorns FC". Sounder At Heart.
  22. Rantz, Susie (October 18, 2019). "Five things we want to see in Reign FC's semifinal". Sounder At Heart.
  23. "Sofia Huerta and Amber Brooks acquired in tade with Dash". Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  24. Lauletta, Dan. "The Dash's road to the NWSL Challenge Cup title started from the back". Equalizer Soccer.
  25. Roepken, Corey (December 24, 2021). "Dash year in review: Great expectations but a disappointing finish". Houston Chronicle.
  26. "Orlando Pride Acquires Defender Megan Montefusco, 2023 NWSL Draft Pick and Allocation Money". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  27. "Oyster and Lavelle called up to USWNT before Russia friendlies". March 23, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  28. "M.Oyster". April 12, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  29. "Wedding website". The Knot.
  30. "Anthony Montefusco Amateur, College & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  31. "Houston was a Perfect Engagement Shoot Location for Two Pro Athletes". Brides of Houston. April 29, 2021.
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