PRINCE.EDWARD.ISLAND (CBC) - Zach Thornton of Chivas USA was named top goalkeeper for the 2009 Major League Soccer season on Wednesday, 11 years after first winning the award.

Thornton recorded 12 shutouts in 30 appearances in his first full season with Chivas. The veteran keeper had a 13-11-6 record and posted a career best 12 shutouts and 0.87 goals against average.

The award recognizes a late career renaissance for the 36-year-old Thornton, who made 216 appearances and was an all-star five times for the Chicago Fire from 1998 to 2006. He was waived by the Colorado Rapids after the 2007 season, and traded midway through last year to Chivas from the New York Red Bulls.

"I'm very proud," Thornton told the MLS website. "To wait this long and to have gone through what I've been through and to be able to win the award again is outstanding."

The Edgewood Park, Md., native beat out Seattle's Kasey Keller and Donovan Ricketss and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Chivas and the Galaxy both play out of the Home Depot Centre in Carson, Calif., and are locked in a playoff battle. The clubs play Sunday to determine their first-round series, with the first game ending in a 2-2 draw.

New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston was named the individual Fair Play award winner for the third time, with the Chicago Fire getting the team honour for fair play with the fewest citations in the league.

The league will roll out several more awards in the coming days. Keeper Stefan Frei is the lone Toronto FC player up for an award, vying for the rookie of the year award that will be announced on Nov. 12.