All season, the spotlight has been on Tiffany Weimer when dealing with Penn State women's soccer.

On a national scene, however, someone else has always overshadowed the senior All-America forward.

For the second straight year, Weimer finished as one of two runners-up to Portland's record-setting forward Christine Sinclair for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, NCAA soccer's top individual award.

ESPNews aired the presentation of the award live from St. Louis Friday night.

"Everywhere I turn, she's been [there]," Weimer said of Sinclair. "She's always been one up on me."

Only the third woman to win two Hermann Trophies, Sinclair scored an NCAA single-season record 39 goals this year, leading the Pilots to the national championship, a trip that included a victory against the Nittany Lions in the College Cup. The game took two overtimes and penalty kicks to decide.

Not surprisingly, Sinclair booted the clinching penalty kick to secure a spot in the title game.

Sinclair was also a member of the 2002 national champion Portland team.

A national championship is the only item missing from Weimer's impressive resume.

One of the purest goal scorers in the country, a Weimer score became almost as trademark as the white headband she wears to each game.

Weimer was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and her 91 career goals are a Big Ten record. She also scored in a record-breaking 17 straight games this season, a feat also accomplished by Sinclair. Weimer finished the year with a Big Ten single-season-record 32 goals while adding five assists on her way to earning the Top Drawer Soccer's Player of the Year award.

After four outstanding years in Happy Valley, Weimer has solidified her place among Penn State's soccer greats, a list that includes Christie Welsh, Heidi Drummond, Rachel Hoffman and Joanna Lohman.

"She'll go down as being one of the greatest," Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said.

When Sinclair's name was called, Weimer clapped for her cross-country rival as she accepted the coveted crystal ball.

"I was definitely disappointed, but I was happy for her," she said.

Weimer is only one of three Nittany Lions to be named a finalist for the Hermann. Welsh won the award in 2001 and was a runner-up in 2000 and 2002. Lohman was a runner-up in 2003.

A humble star, Weimer acknowledged her teammates every time she broke a record and didn't forget to thank them again.

"Especially being a forward, you're not going to get anywhere standing up there by yourself," she said.

Giving praise to teammates comes easily for Weimer, but she has always been careful not to heap too much praise onto herself, insisting that those that came before her at Penn State deserve more credit.

In a way, Weimer prefers the shadows opposed to the spotlight.

"I'm not going to say anything about myself," Weimer said. "Whatever I have done, people can see it for themselves. I'll be in the shadows of Christie Welsh. She's done it all so far."