Garden City, N.Y. – Adelphi University Women's Soccer Coach Chris Armas, has been selected to be part of the inaugural Hall of Fame Class of the Long Island Soccer Football League. Armas is one of 48 individuals who will be honored at the ceremony which will be held on Friday, November 29 at Floral Terrace in Floral Park, N.Y.
Armas and his women's soccer team are fresh off of two NCAA Tournament games in which they made it to the East Region semifinal before bowing out to top-seeded St. Rose. They ended a six year Tournament drought and earned the program's first NCAA win since 2004 after defeating Mercy 5-0 in the first round. Armas led the team to a 14-3-4 overall record this year which included their second straight Northeast-10 Championship runner up finish.
A Brentwood, N.Y. native, Armas was a standout soccer player at Adelphi under Head Coach Bob Montgomery from 1990-93. During his four year tenure he helped the Panthers to a 43-24-10 record and three straight NCAA Division I Tournament appearances. A 1994 graduate, Armas took home multiple honors for his performance on the field and in the classroom which included two All-New York State and NSCAA All-Region selections, two CoSIDA Academic All-America nods, a CoSIDA Academic All-District kudos and was named an NSCAA All-American Honorable Mention during his senior year. In 2005, he was honored with inclusion into Adelphi's Athletic Hall of Fame; the 13th member from the men's soccer team to be inducted.
Upon graduation from Adelphi with a degree in physical education, Armas played two years for the Long Island Rough Riders before being drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS. He spent the first two years of his professional soccer career with the Galaxy before being traded to the Chicago Fire where he would remain for the final 10 years. Armas helped the Fire to their first and only MLS Championship in 1988 and was named to the MLS Best XI five times in six years while earning the title of US Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2000. Over his 12 year career at midfield, he tallied 11 goals and 41 assists.
Armas was also selected to be a part of the US National team in which he made his debut on November 6, 1988; the first of 66 appearances.
The induction class is part of the league's 65 anniversary celebration. The LISFL Hall of Fame is "intended to recognize efforts on-and-off the field, to note the dedication of the league administrators, to congratulate the club sponsors and coaches and to applaud the gifted athletes," according to the organization.
For the full list of inductees, click here.
