New Blood Makes Up USMNT Roster For CONCACAF Gold Cup

US Soccer announced Thursday the 23-man roster that will make up the US Men's National Team for their attempt to defend their title at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup July 3-26 across the country.

Of the 23, 15 are from Major League Soccer teams and six of those will make their USMNT debuts during the event -- midfielders Logan Pause (Chicago Fire), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Colin Clark (Colorado Rapids), Sam Cronin (Toronto FC) and Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), and defender Jay Heaps (New England Revolution).

Only four members currently playing at the FIFA Confederations Cup, where the US will face Brazil for the tournament title Sunday in South Africa, have been named to the team -- forwards Freddy Adu (AS Monaco - France) and Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF - Sweden), defender Heath Pierce (Hansa Rostock - Germany) and goalkeeper Luis Robles (FC Kaiserslautern - Germany).

Other notes of interest on the roster:

- Defender Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96 - Germany) returns to the team after being out since October 11, 2008, following hip surgery.

- DC United forward Santino Quaranta, who scored one of the US' penalty kicks in their 2005 Gold Cup title game victory over Panama at Giants Stadium, returns for his first appearance since November 12, 2005 against Scotland and is one of three players who were on that Gold Cup team, joining Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad and Cherundolo.

- Conrad returns to the team for the first time since January 2008. He has 24 international appearances and played against Italy and Ghana at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

- Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching returns after missing the last two CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying games and the Confederations Cup with a strained hamstring.

- Defender Chad Marshall of the defending MLS champion Columbus Crew last played for the US in 2005.

- Chicago Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch will play during the Gold Cup only if one of the other goalkeepers is suspended or injured.

- Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman last played for the USMNT in the 2007 Copa America tournament, along with Wizards midfielder Davy Arnaud and Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers, also on the Gold Cup roster.

The USMNT opens pool play in the Gold Cup July 3 at Seattle's Qwest Field against Grenada, then heads to RFK Stadium in Washington, DC July 8 against Honduras before ending the round July 11 versus Haiti at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

Here is the 23-man roster for the USMNT at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup (Players are in MLS unless specified:

GOALKEEPERS
Jon Busch - Chicago Fire
Troy Perkins - Valenraga IF (Norway)
Luis Robles - FC Kaiserslautern (Germany)

DEFENDERS
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover 96 (Germany)
Jimmy Conrad - Kansas City Wizards
Clarence Goodson - IK Start (Norway)
Jay Heaps - New England Revolution
Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Michael Parkhurst - FC Nordsjaellands (Denmark)
Heath Pierce - Hansa Rostock (Germany)

MIDFIELDERS
Davy Arnaud - Kansas City Wizards
Kyle Beckerman - Real Salt Lake
Colin Clark - Colorado Rapids
Sam Cronin - Toronto FC
Brad Evans - Seattle Sounders FC
Stuart Holden - Houston Dynamo
Logan Pause - Chicago Fire
Robbie Rogers - Columbus Crew

FORWARDS
Freddy Adu - AS Monaco (France)
Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo
Kenny Cooper - FC Dallas
Charlie Davies - Hammarby IF (Sweden)
Santino Quaranta - DC United