COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Crew on Friday announced that 2008 MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall has signed a new contract with the club.
The 24-year-old center back was out of contract and had been on a trial with Mainz of the German second division as negotiations continued with Crew.
"We have made a significant commitment to ensure that Chad remains a member of the Crew and we are very pleased to have gotten that priority accomplished," said Crew technical director Brian Bliss. "It goes without saying that he played a vital role in our championship season and re-signing him allows us to retain our core group of key contributors."
Marshall had four goals in the regular season and two more in the playoffs, including the winner against New York on Nov. 23 in the MLS Cup that gave Columbus its first title.
Bliss said last week the team had made a fair offer and the decision was up to Marshall.
"Does he want more money? If that's the case he should go to Europe," Bliss said. "If he wants significant pay and wants to stay at a club he's done well at and won a championship with then he'd stay here. It comes down to his choice."
With Marshall in place, the Crew is assured of having 10 of 11 starters under contract from the 3-1 win against the Red Bulls in the championship match. The lone absentee is central midfielder Brad Evans, who was claimed by Seattle Sounders FC in the expansion draft.
The Crew also forged new deals in the offseason with league and MLS Cup MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto and defender Danny O'Rourke.
In the title game, Marshall's run down the middle and header off Schelotto's corner kick in the 53rd minute proved to be the winner and nullified a score two minutes earlier by John Wolyniec that tied the match at 1-1.
Marshall had a breakout year after missing 17 games last season because of post-concussion syndrome.
With a new deal in hand, Marshall's next goal is getting back on the U.S. national team. He had a goal in his first career cap on March 9, 2005, vs. Colombia. He made three other appearances but the last was Oct. 12, 2005.
The Riverside, Calif., native played two seasons for Stanford before being the second overall pick (behind Freddy Adu) in the 2004 SuperDraft.
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