CHICAGO (Jan. 24, 2014) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Friday that they have re-signed veteran midfielder Logan Pause. Per league and team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“From ownership on down, we felt it was important to have Logan remain a part of this club,” said Chicago Fire Head Coach and Director of Soccer Frank Yallop. “Logan has been an integral part of this team for the past 11 years, is a natural, respected leader and we’re excited to have him back.”

Selected in the third round (24th overall) of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft, Pause returns for his 12th season in Chicago as the longest-serving member of the current Fire first team. Named club captain at the start of the 2011 MLS campaign, the University of North Carolina product has made 274 career regular season appearances, putting him second on the club’s all-time list behind another newly named assistant coach, C.J. Brown (296).

“I’m incredibly blessed and grateful to Andrew Hauptman, Frank Yallop and his staff for the confidence in bringing me back,” said Pause. “I feel like I have the same emotions as if I signed for the first time 11 years ago. I’m excited to get started with the guys and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to play another year for this club and in front of these wonderful fans.”

Logan Pause – Additional Stats:

Throughout his career, the 32-year-old Fire veteran has tallied three goals and 11 assists in league play, and won the 2003 and 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships, as well as the 2003 MLS Supporters’ Shield with the Men in Red. Pause has a long list of accolades to his name, including recognition as the club’s 2010 Most Valuable Player and winner of the 2009 MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year. Most recently, Pause was honored as the 2012 Xbox Individual Fair Play Award winner, based on objective criteria including fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

A steady presence in the midfield, Pause averaged 25 games per season throughout his career, and accumulated only 22 yellow cards and was ejected just twice in MLS Regular Season play.

On Aug. 12, 2012, Pause suffered two broken ribs and pneumothorax against the Philadelphia Union. After it was projected that he would miss up to six weeks following the injury, he missed just two matches and returned against the Houston Dynamo on Sept. 2.

Pause has played throughout the midfield during his tenure in Chicago but has shown his versatility and has also slotted in as right back.

A native of Hillsborough, N.C., Pause played collegiately at the University of North Carolina from 2000-02, and helped lead the Tar Heels to the 2001 Men’s College Cup title.

With six international caps to his name, Pause made his full national team debut on July 4, 2009, in a 4-0 win over Grenada in the opening match of that year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. Pause featured for the full 90 minutes and notched an assist on Robbie Rogers’ goal in the 60th minute of the match.