DC United to Wear Maroon In Honor of Va. Tech

DC United to Wear Maroon In Honor of Va. Tech

By Steven Goff
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2007; E10

D.C. United has traditionally worn a black or white jersey during its 11-year history. On Saturday night, the club will wear maroon.

To honor the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, United announced yesterday that it will don maroon shirts during its MLS match against the Columbus Crew in Ohio. The club's goalkeepers will be dressed in orange, the Hokies' other school color.

United will auction the jerseys on its Web site next week and donate the proceeds to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, a university charity benefiting victims and their families.

"Everybody understands the magnitude of what happened there, and we all want to help in whatever way we can," Coach Tom Soehn said. "It's a small gesture on our part, but it's a thing we feel is important."

The jerseys also will include a Virginia Tech emblem on the chest.

The Houston Dynamo announced last week that it will wear uniforms with Virginia Tech colors during Sunday's home game against the Chicago Fire. Like United, Houston will auction them afterward and direct proceeds to the university's charity fund.

The Washington Nationals wore Virginia Tech baseball caps during last Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves at RFK Stadium.

"With several staff members intimately involved with the university and given the close proximity of the Virginia Tech campus to Washington, we felt acutely motivated to act in support of this cause," United Executive Vice President Stephen Zack said.

United Notes: Rookie midfielder Bryan Arguez was among 16 players named to the U.S. under-20 national team roster for a May 15 friendly vs. Argentina in Rochester, N.Y. Former United star Freddy Adu and ex-Maryland Terrapins Chris Seitz and Robbie Rogers also were included on the U.S. squad, which is preparing for this summer's world championship in Canada. . . .

Comcast SportsNet had planned to show Saturday's United match live, but because of the Wizards-Cavaliers playoff game, it will be carried on one-hour tape delay starting at 8:30 p.m.