[SOCCER AMERICA AWARDS] For the third year in a row, a Stanford senior is the Soccer America Women's Player of the Year. After Kelley O'Hara in 2009 and Christen Press in 2010, forward Lindsay Taylor wins Soccer America's top women's award for 2011.

Taylor led the Cardinal with 20 goals en route to its first national title. She did not score at the Women's College Cup but had an assist in the 3-0 win over Florida State in the semifinals and the key pass in the long sequence leading up to Stanford's lone goal in its 1-0 win over Duke in the College Cup final.

Taylor scored 16 goals as a freshman in 2008, when she was named the Soccer America Freshman of the Year, but health problems -- most notably, a bad hip -- then set her back. She recovered and had a big senior season for the Cardinal.

She finished her career with 56 goals and 27 assists in 102 games.

Says Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe, "Technically, she's one of the most gifted players I've ever coached. Her goal scoring with both feet is the best I've ever coached. She can also head the ball very well. She's just an outstanding talent."

Stanford is only the second school to have Soccer America Women's Players of the Year in three consecutive years. North Carolina did that in 1998-90 and 1992-94. Its string was broken in 1991 when Julie Foudy, the only other Stanford to earn Player of the Year honors, got the nod.

2011 Women's Player of the Year
Lindsay Taylor, Stanford
Position: Forward. Class: Sr.
Hometown: Los Altos, Calif.
High School: Castilleja School
Youth Club: MVLA Mercury

SA WOMEN'S PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
1985 -- Lisa Gmitter (George Mason)
1986 -- April Heinrichs (North Carolina)
1987 -- Michelle Akers (Central Florida)
1988 -- Shannon Higgins (North Carolina)
1989 -- Shannon Higgins (North Carolina)
1990 -- Kristine Lilly (North Carolina)
1991 -- Julie Foudy (Stanford)
1992 -- Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1993 -- Mia Hamm (North Carolina)
1994 -- Tisha Venturini (North Carolina)
1995 -- Shannon MacMillan (Portland)
1996 -- Debbie Keller (North Carolina)
1997 -- Sara Whalen (Connecticut)
1998 -- Danielle Fotopoulos (Florida)
1999 -- Lorrie Fair (North Carolina)
2000 -- Anne Makinen (Notre Dame)
2001 -- Aly Wagner (Santa Clara)
2002 -- Christine Sinclair (Portland)
2003 -- Lindsay Tarpley (North Carolina)
2004 -- Katie Thorlakson (Notre Dame)
2005 -- Christine Sinclair (Portland)
2006 -- Heather O'Reilly (North Carolina)
2007 -- Lauren Cheney (UCLA)
2008 -- Casey Nogueira (North Carolina)
2009 -- Kelley O'Hara (Stanford)
2010 -- Christen Press (Stanford)
2011 -- Lindsay Taylor (Stanford)