VALDERRAMA, CHUNG NAMED TO STARTING LINEUP FOR 2002 PEPSI MLS ALL-STAR GAME

Five Players Selected for First Time; Seven of 10 Teams Represented

DENVER (Wednesday, July 17, 2002) - Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber today unveiled the starting 11 for the MLS All-Stars which will face the U.S. National Team in the 2002 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game. The starting roster includes Colorado Rapids midfielders Carlos Valderrama and Mark Chung who have appeared in a total of 10 MLS All-Star Games between them. The contest kicks off at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, August 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on ABC Sports.

Valderrama, nominated for the sixth time in his distinguished MLS career, is the League's all-time career assist leader (106) and has registered 16 career goals (138 points) since making his MLS debut in its inaugural 1996 season. Valderrama is currently fifth in scoring for Colorado this season, posting 1 goal, 8 assists through July 13. The midfield maestro earned All-Star Game MVP honors in 1996 and 1997, and set a single-season assist mark with 26 helpers in 2000. A three-time MLS Pepsi Best 11 selection, Valderrama played in the 1990, '94 and '98 World Cups for his native Colombia where he holds the distinction of Player of the Century.

Chung, making his fourth MLS All-Star appearance, came to Colorado prior to the 2002 season in a deal with the MetroStars and currently holds the scoring reigns in Colorado, posting 6 goals, 7 assists (19 points) in 17 games this season. The University of South Florida product appeared in the 1997, '99 and '00 All-Star Game and is among the career leaders in many categories including games played, assists and shots. A 1997 Pepsi Best 11 selection, Chung has posted 35 goals, 56 assists in his MLS career and has appeared 24 times for the U.S. National Team.

The MLS All-Star Team will feature five players making their first-ever All-Star appearance, including the League's top two scorers, Taylor Twellman and Carlos Ruiz. Twellman, the 22 year-old sensation from the New England Revolution, is joined up top by the Los Angeles Galaxy's Ruiz, the Guatemalan forward. Both players lead the League with 13 goals during their first MLS campaigns. Also making their first All-Star appearances are defenders Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire) and Ryan Suarez (Dallas Burn), along with midfielder Richard Mulrooney (San Jose Earthquakes). New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston and MetroStars defender Mike Petke each appear for the third time in the League's midseason celebration.

In addition to Colorado and New England, two other teams - the Chicago Fire and MetroStars - also placed two players in the starting 11, as goalkeeper Tim Howard (MetroStars) and midfielder Dema Kovalenko (Chicago) earned starting nods for 2002. Seven of the League's 10 teams are represented in the MLS starting selection, while D.C. United, Columbus and Kansas City saw several players named to Bruce Arena's U.S. National Team yesterday.

The starters were selected by fans, fellow players, MLS coaches and general managers, and a media panel, with each group's total votes representing 25% of the total. Fans had determined the starting 11 during the four previous MLS seasons.

All-Star reserves for the MLS roster will be named on Tuesday, July 23, by Head Coach Frank Yallop in conjunction with Major League Soccer. In addition, MLS Commissioner Don Garber will select two players to round out the roster of 18 players that will face the U.S. National Team on August 3.

The selection for the MLS All-Stars is as follows (3-5-2 formation):

2002 MLS ALL-STAR STARTING 11

Name			Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	D.O.B.	Hometown			MLS Club		A.S. Game
Tim Howard		GK	6-3	210	3-6-79	North Brunswick, New Jersey	MetroStars		Second
Ryan Suarez		D	6-2	185	7-28-77	Roseville, California		Dallas Burn		First     
Mike Petke  		D	6-2   	187   	1-30-76	Bohemia, New York		MetroStars		Third 
Carlos Bocanegra	D	6-0	170	5-25-79	Alta Loma, California		Chicago Fire		First
Richard Mulrooney	M	5-9	160	11-3-76	Memphis, Tennessee		San Jose Earthquakes	First
Steve Ralston		M	5-9	160	6-14-74	St. Louis, Missouri		N.E. Revolution		Third
Carlos Valderrama	M	5-9	160	9-2-61	Santa Marta, Colombia		Colorado Rapids		Sixth
Mark Chung		M	5-7	150	6-18-70	Pembroke Pines, Florida		Colorado Rapids		Fourth
Dema Kovalenko		M	5-8	145	8-28-77	Rochester, New York		Chicago Fire		Second
Carlos Ruiz		F	5-9	170	9-15-79	Guatemala City, Guatemala	Los Angeles Galaxy	First
Taylor Twellman		F	5-11	179	2-29-80	St. Louis, Missouri		N.E. Revolution		First
   
Coaching Staff: San Jose Earthquakes
Head Coach: Frank Yallop		
Assistant Coach: Dominic Kinnear 
Trainer: Bruce Morgan

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