"Heather is a tremendous asset to any club--speed, strength, determined in the tackle and a fantastic leader," commented Long Island Fury Director of Football Paul Riley. "We have a young squad and I believe Heather will be a key component in bringing our younger players along."

Tomko grew up in Carroll County, Maryland, near the Pennsylvania border and was honored as First Team All-State at North Carroll High School. The Maryland Olympic Development Program and Region 1 player then went to Penn State, where she received the Nittany Lions' Unsung Hero Award and made the Big Ten All-Academic Team. Penn State was Big Ten champions all four years that she was there. Tomko, now a resident of Long Beach, describes playing in the NCAA Final Four in 2005 as her best moment ever on a soccer field.

"Heather knows how to win, she has played in a top college program and her passion for the game shows through in everything she does. She's a brilliant role model for our younger players," Riley concluded.