Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton was named Major League Soccer’s Comeback Player of the Year on Monday, adding another trophy to his 2009 collection after being named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year last week. The 36 year-old goalkeeper from Edgewood, Md., led Chivas USA to its fourth consecutive playoff berth in 2009 and had the top mark in MLS in both shutouts and goals against average.

Thornton earned the Comeback Player of the Year award due to his strong play throughout 2009 after enduring two difficult seasons in 2007 and 2008. He led Chivas USA to a 13-11-6 record and posted a career best 12 shutouts and 0.87 goals against average, which ranks second all-time in MLS history behind Pat Onstad’s 0.82 mark in 2007. His 12 shutouts were one shy of the Chivas USA record, set in 2007 by Brad Guzan, who also earned Goalkeeper of the Year honors in that season. In being named Goalkeeper of the Year last week, Thornton became one of just three players to win the award twice, joining Joe Cannon and Pat Onstad.

After spending eight years as the starting goalkeeper for the Chicago Fire, Thornton spent the 2007 season with Colorado, playing just one game, and made no appearances with New York in 2008 before being traded to Chivas USA on Aug. 1 after Brad Guzan’s departure for Aston Villa. Thornton took over as the starter, playing seven games before an injury sidelined him until the final regular season match, and posting a 1.80 goals against average in his eight matches played. Thornton worked in the offseason with Chivas USA Goalkeeper Coach Leo Percovich and on his own, entering the year slimmer and fitter, and started the season by leading the Red-and-White to a 7-1-1 record in the team’s first nine games.

Thornton was drafted by the MetroStars in the 7th round of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft, playing two seasons with the club as a reserve behind Tony Meola before joining the Chicago Fire in the 1998 Expansion Draft. A star with the Fire for the bulk of the next nine seasons, Thornton also spent six months on loan with Benfica in Portugal in 2004. Winning his first MLS Goalkeeper of the Year title in 1998 with the Fire, a season in which he helped the team to both the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup, Thornton won two additional U.S. Open Cups with Chicago in 2000 and 2003, as well as the Supporters Shield in 2003. A six time All-Star (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009), Thornton ranks second in MLS history in shutouts (70) and wins (125), behind only Kevin Hartman in both categories.

Thornton led the voting for Comeback Player of the Year ahead of Chicago Fire forward Brian McBride and D.C. United midfielder Ben Olsen, the other finalists for the award. It is given to the player who earned the most votes in polling of MLS players, general managers, coaches, and members of the media.