ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Looking back on the 2011-12 season, Bethel University athletics enjoyed a number of incredible achievements and accolades. Several teams made monumental runs to the postseason, while certain individuals amped up their play to become star performers. Additionally, the Royals made plenty of noise off the playing surface throughout the entire year. With all that said, we will look at the Top 10 stories of the 2011-12 school year for Bethel athletics over the next ten days (one each day). Today, however, will highlight the No. 5 moment in this year's Top 10.
 
Sheley shines in senior campaign
Bethel senior Taylor Sheley (Sr., Backus, Minn.) took home the league's top honor as the 2011-12 MIAC Player-of-the-Year in a fitting close to her tremendous career for the Royals. Sheley added her Player-of-the-Year award to her third-straight All-MIAC selection after starting her career with All-First-Year Team honors. As a senior, the Royals' star contributed to the team's success in every way possible, as she ranked in the top 15 of almost every single statistical category.

Sheley's play and leadership helped Bethel finish above .500 at 14-12 overall and 12-10 in conference play, including a trip to the 2012 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons. Sheley's play also enabled her to finish as the team's second most leading scorer in a single season with 503 points, just eight points shy of the all-time record in a single year, and the fifth most leading scorer in a career with 1,425 points.
 
The conference's leading scorer and nation's 16th leading scorer at 19.3 points per game, Sheley also ranked among the conference's best in free throw percentage (second, .810), 3-pointers (third, 2.12 per game), steals (fourth, 2.5 per game), minutes played (fifth, 33.81 per game) and she also ranked 12th in rebounding (5.9 per game), 14th in assists and 15th in 3-point percentage (.309) and blocked shots (0.77 per game).

She was Bethel's leading scorer in 23 of its 26 games, topping the 20-point plateau 12 times, including a season-high 32 points in a two-point loss to conference champion St. Thomas on Jan. 16. In addition to being crowned MIAC Player-of-the-Year, Sheley was honored to the D3hoops.com All-Midwest Region First Team.