Forward Michael Butler

"The Butler did it!" could be a common refrain for the Long Island Academy this year as Coach Paul Riley hopes to receive many goals from Michael Butler. The star forward, a 31-year-old native of Springfield, Massachusetts, has been successful on every soccer team he has played for.

Butler was named High School All-American in 1993 while at Springfield Central High and College All-American in 1998 at UMass-Amherst. Also that year, he was the United Soccer Leagues' Division 3 leading scorer while starring for the Western Mass Pioneers.

That performance led Butler to being selected by the Columbus Crew in the first round of the 1999 Major League Soccer Draft. His best moment in MLS occurred scoring a stoppage time, game-winning goal for the MetroStars against the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 2001, a tally which made the highlights on ESPN's Sports Center.

Butler is no stranger to Long Island soccer fans as he won the national championship with the 2002 Rough Riders, a squad coached by Paul Riley. He resides in Glen Oaks, Queens, a very short corner kick from the Nassau County border.