CHUNG TOPS LIST AS RAPIDS ANNOUNCE 2002 AWARDS

DENVER (Saturday, September 27, 2002) - The Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer announced their annual post-season award winners on Saturday, naming the recipients of the Honda Most Valuable Player, ADT Defensive Player of the Year, Budweiser Scoring Champion, and US Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year.

2002 Honda Most Valuable Player - Mark Chung

Four-time MLS All-Star Mark Chung came to the Rapids just prior to the start of the 2002 season * via trade on Allocation Draft Day * and quickly showed he fit into the Colorado game plan, posting four points in the club's first three games. Twenty-three games later, the speedy midfielder stood on the precipice of a career best season and ended the campaign in late September with 11 goals, 10 assists (32 points) as the Rapids leader and only player in MLS to have reached double-digits in both goals and assists this year. Chung displayed his versatility on a game-by-game basis throughout the season, often leading the Colorado attack from all over the field. In just his first campaign with the club, Chung has already etched his name high into the franchise record books. Awarded to the player judged to be the best performer during the Major League Soccer regular season based on a vote by local media, the Honda Most Valuable Player award winner is presented to the athlete whose presence made the biggest impact on his team's overall play during the regular season.

2002 ADT Defensive Player of the Year - Rick Titus

Few defenders leave their mark on the opposition the way a great striker does, but first-year Colorado defender Rick Titus proves the exception. Voted the A-League Defender of the Year in 2001 while playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps, Titus quickly adapted to the transition into MLS, coming into preseason camp as a Discovery Player and showing his worth from Day 1. After finalizing his international paperwork, Titus earned a starting spot in the defense and started in all 25 games in which he played. A tall, bruising defender, Titus often drew the unwanted job of shutting down each team's most dangerous marksman * a calling at which he excelled. The ADT Defensive Player of the Year award, voted on by local media, is given to the player deemed to be the best defensive player during the Major League Soccer regular season.

2002 Budweiser Scoring Champion - Mark Chung

Mark Chung unleashed his offensive abilities on MLS in 2002 in a way that he never had before. Topping his single-season best campaign of 10 g, 8 a (28 pts.) established in 1997, Chung was a leading reason for Colorado's success this season, as he posted 11 g, 10 a (32 points) in just 27 regular season games. Twice the recipient of MLS Player of the Week honors, Chung registered back-to-back multiple-goal games (5/22-6/1), while recording point-scoring streaks of five, four and three games during the career-best campaign. The Budweiser Scoring Champion is an annual award given to the player who accumulates the highest point total during the MLS regular season. The league awards two points for each goal and one point for an assist.

2002 US Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year - Steve Shak

Despite a limited amount of playing time in 2002 regular season, Rapids defender Steve Shak was nonetheless instrumental in the organization's success this year in his role as an ambassador of goodwill for Colorado. Shak spent hundreds of hours signing autographs, making appearances at camps and various Front Range locations and speaking to kids about the dangers of peer pressure and substance abuse, in conjunction with the Colorado National Guard. Presented following a vote of the local media, the US Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award recognizes the team member who most demonstrates exemplary community involvement and is the only award that does not recognize a player for his actions of the playing field, but for his ability to go above and beyond the call to contribute in his community.

PAST WINNERS:

Honda MVP			
1996	Chris Henderson				
1997	Marcelo Balboa			
1998	Ross Paule				
1999	Jorge Dely Valdes			
2000	Marcelo Balboa			
2001	John Spencer				

ADT Defensive Player
1996	Denis Hamlet
1997	Marcelo Balboa
1998	Marcus Hahnemann
1999	Peter Vermes	
2000	Marcelo Balboa
2001	Chris Martinez	

Budweiser Scoring Champion
1996	Jean Harbor
1997	Chris Henderson
1998	Paul Bravo, Wolde Harris
1999	Jorge Dely Valdes
2000	Junior Agogo
2001	John Spencer

US Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year	
2000	Wes Hart		
2001	Wes Hart	

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