Hall of Fame
Phil Markley of Costa Mesa, California, Class of 1979, was one of the finest soccer players to ever compete for Shippensburg. A midfielder, he led the Red Raiders to some of its most successful seasons. The team never had a losing year with him in the lineup. He started in every game for four years and was team co-captain in 1977 and 1978.
As a freshman in 1975 Markley helped Shippensburg win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship by setting the single season record for assists with seven. That record was not broken until 1988. In addition he scored three goals. The Red Raiders were champions of the PSAC Eastern Division. They defeated Slippery Rock, the PSAC Western Division champ, in the conference title game at the end of the season with a score of 1-0. Shippensburg finished the year with a 9-4 record.
The following year Shippensburg had a 9-3-1 record but finished second in the PSAC East. Markley scored seven goals and had the team high of five assists. The following year he scored six goals and made two assists, leading the team in both categories. In 1978 Shippensburg compiled an 8-6 record and won the PSAC Eastern Division title again. However, in the conference championship game the Red Raiders lost to Lock Haven on penalty kicks. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie after regulation and overtime.
Markley finished his career with 22 goals and 18 assists. The team compiled a record of 32-16-2 during those four years. He set the career record for assists and held the record until 1987. His career total is still the third highest in team history and is only two below the current record. He also was All-PSAC and NCAA Division II All-Region three years in a row (1976-78). In 1976 he represented the East Coast at the Junior Olympic Soccer Tournament in Dallas, Texas.
Following graduation Markley played semi-pro soccer for Athletes in Action from 1979 to 1983. He played matches both in the United States and internationally and conducted activities such as summer soccer camps and soccer clinics. In 1981 he worked with Kyle Rote, Jr. and a group of investors to bring a Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) franchise to Memphis, Tennessee.
Markley became the chief financial officer for the Lusk Company, a large southern California real estate development firm. He became active in the community of Costa Mesa, coaching his twin sons’ and his daughter’s soccer teams through the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) for more than 10 years. He was the Costa Mesa “Coach of the Year” in 1999.
Markley, a native of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, graduated from Upper Merion High School in 1975.
