Three years ago, Troy Perkins was the goalkeeper at the University of Evansville.  Today, he's the leading vote-getter at his position for next month's Major League Soccer All-Star Game. The league today unveiled the "First XI" of the MLS All-Star team that will take on English Premier League champion Chelsea FC on Aug. 5 (5:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., home of the Chicago Fire.

While not necessarily the starting lineup for the match, the "First XI" includes the top picks at each position as determined by a four-tiered voting process. Fans (25 percent of the total vote, via online balloting on MLSnet.com), MLS coaches and general managers (25 percent), media members (25 percent) and MLS players (25 percent) all contributed to the formula that produced the "First XI."

The second-year goalkeeper has played every minute this season for D.C. United, helping the four-time MLS Cup champions to the best overall record in the league at 12-1-5. Perkins' 0.78 goals-against average is the lowest in MLS and he has already racked up a league-high seven shutouts. Meanwhile, the Columbus Crew announced today that the club has acquired former University of Evansville standout Marc Burch from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for The Crew's second-round pick in the 2007 Supplemental Draft.

To make room for Burch the club waived midfielder Dayton O'Brien. Burch played three years at Evansville, from 2002 through 2004, before transferring to Maryland for his senior season and helping the Terrapins capture the 2005 College Cup championship by scoring the game-winning goal. He was an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection three times at UE and was the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year in 2001. The Cincinnati native appeared in three games for the Galaxy this season after being selected in the second round (24th overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. "It's always nice to bring an Ohio boy back home," said Crew Head Coach Sigi Schmid. "He is a player that is very versatile. He can play up top or out wide."