Her parents brought women’s soccer to KC. Now she’s scoring goals for the Current
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mary Long scored her first pro goal at CPKC Stadium, owned by her parents.
- Long signed with Kansas City Current in 2025 after a standout season at Duke.
- Her goal crowned the Current’s 2-1 win in the Teal Rising Cup championship match.
Six years ago, a 12-year-old soccer player inspired her parents to invest in a National Women’s Soccer League team.
They saw the power of women’s soccer through their youngest daughter’s eyes at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in Paris.
Mary Long is 18 years old now. She developed into one of the best midfielders in her recruiting class, played for multiple youth national teams and had an outstanding freshman fall season at Duke University in 2024. In January, she signed with the Kansas City Current, the team her parents helped bring to the city.
CPKC Stadium is a second home for Long. And when she scored her first professional goal Tuesday night, the crowd went wild.
“This is my favorite team in the whole world,” Long said after the Current’s 2-1 win over SC Corinthians in the inaugural Teal Rising Cup championship match. “There’s no one else I’d rather be on the field with.”
Her goal came in the 25th minute, when forward Michelle Cooper crossed the ball into the box from right field. Long sent the ball into the net.
The crowd howled over a blaring horn signaling the goal. Long ran toward Cooper. And Haley Hopkins threw her hands into the air.
“I always know that Michelle is going to put the ball exactly where I need it, so she honestly made it really easy for me,” Long said.
But Hopkins, sitting next to her in the air-conditioned media room after the match, was quick to jump in.
“It’s hard getting the right spots though, honestly,” Hopkins said. “Michelle laid it on a platter but to see that, for Mary, to have that kind of recognition and to find space. Especially when you’re in such close quarters, and you have defenders that are just looking for the ball to stop you, it was a great moment and great runs.”
Hopkins, who was named the MVP of the tournament, said the goal was a special moment to celebrate as a team, but it didn’t come as a surprise.
Long has been putting in the work at every practice and is always the last off the field, according to Hopkins. In the first half of the NWSL season Long saw 43 minutes of playing time.
“It definitely doesn’t go unnoticed to the team,” Hopkins said. “It was just incredible this year to be able to get finally rewarded for all that extra work and time.”
Long looked at her teammate, eight years her senior, as Hopkins was singing her praises. When Hopkins finished, she said a quiet thank you with a smile on her face.
During the game, cameras showed Chris and Angie Long, the co-owners of the Current and parents of Mary, beaming in the moments after their daughter scored.
Like his daughter, Chris first complimented Michelle Cooper’s assist when asked about the goal during the halftime show.
“That pass, that vision, just hands up soccer,” Chris said. “And Mary with the great finish. The combination there, honestly, raised the hair on my arms.”
The Longs are used to wearing the “organizational hat” all the time. But in the moments after Mary’s goal, it was nice to have the proud-parents hat on.
“It’s so cool,” Angie said, reflecting on her daughter’s goal. “And I think to see the fans so excited is really great.”
Long signed with the Current in January but has been training with the first team for the past two years. That’s given her time to build deep bonds with her teammates and the coaches.
Prior to signing with the Current, she played one season of soccer at Duke University.
She played in 15 matches with the Blue Devils, totaling 465 minutes with three goals and one assist for seven points. Long missed seven games during the season while representing the U.S. in the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
At the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, Long started in five matches and played in all six. Her performance, including a goal against South Korea, helped lead the U.S. team to a bronze medal finish.
Long now heads into the second half of the NWSL season with her first professional goal under her belt. It was a “fulfilling” moment for head coach Vlatko Andonovski and the entire Current staff.
“Now the baseline changes,” Andonovski said. “It’s a little bit higher.”
