Nov. 8, 2017
SMU (13-2-1, 5-1-1) enters the American Men's Soccer Championship as the top seed after claiming the outright regular season conference title. The Mustangs will play No. 4 seed Temple (9-7-1, 4-3) in the semifinal at Westcott Field on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The match will be aired on The American Digital Network with Lincoln Rose and Roland Garanzuay on the call. Hali Oughton will also join the broadcast as the sideline reporter.

The SMU and Temple match will follow the first semifinal of the day between No. 2 seed UCF (7-5-2, 4-2-1) and No. 3 seed Connecticut (8-7-2, 4-3), which will start at 4:30 p.m.

The Mustangs are ranked No. 11 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll after defeating UConn, 1-0, on senior night to win the conference title last week. It was the second league title in three seasons.

SMU is led by all-conference performers Jordan Cano, Mauro Cichero, Michael Nelson, Garrett McLaughlin, Jared Rice and Talen Maples.

Cano was named American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Mauro Cichero was picked as the Midfielder of the Year and Michael Nelson earned Goalkeeper of the Year. The Mustangs had four first team selections in Cano, Cichero, Nelson and McLaughlin. Rice picked up second team honors, while Maples earned all-rookie accolades.

The sextet helped SMU to a 10-0 record at home this season, while playing a major role in the Mustangs leading the conference in points (6.00), goals (1.94), and assists per game (2.12).

QUICK KICKS
- Head Coach Kevin Hudson has a 33-14-6 (.685) record on the Hilltop.
- SMU moved to 13-2-1 overall and 5-1-1 in the league after defeating UConn, 1-0, on Nov. 4 to win the conference regular season title.
- Michael Nelson registered two saves in his sixth consecutive shutout against UConn.  
- SMU is No. 11 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll.
- SMU is one of nine teams in NCAA Division I with at least 13 wins.
- Garrett McLaughlin was named the Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6).
- Jordan Cano was named the Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6).
- Michael Nelson was named the Goalkeeper of the Week (Nov. 6).
- SMU leads conference in points (6.00), goals (1.94), and assists per game (2.12).
- The Mustangs' 34 total assists lead The American and is tied for 17th in the NCAA.
- SMU leads the conference in goals with 31.
- McLaughlin is second in the league in points with 28 (13 goals, 2 assists) and is tied for 14th in the NCAA.
- McLaughlin is tied for eighth in the NCAA in goals with 13.
- McLaughlin is one of 12 players in NCAA Division I that has scored at least 13 goals.
- McLaughlin has 17 career goals in 32 games, including 13 in 2017.
- McLaughlin's seven game-winners lead the nation.
- Mauro Cichero is third in the league in points with 25 (9 goals, 7 assists).
- Cichero has 24 career goals, including 10 game-winners.
- Nelson leads the conference in shutouts (9), which is tied for ninth in the NCAA. He has 26 in his career.
- DJ Williams game-winning goal against UCF (Sept. 29) was his first tally of the season and second of his career.
- Philip Ponder's game-winning goal against Santa Clara (Sept. 10) was his first career goal.
- 11 Mustangs have scored this year: McLaughlin (13), Cichero (9), Ponder (1), Williams (1), Christian Boorom (1), Jacob Cohen (1), Colten Habecker (1), Nicky Hernandez (1), Talen Maples (1), Jared Rice (1) and Garrett Welch (1).
- Cichero was joined by Cano, McLaughlin and Nelson on the preseason all-conference team.
- Cichero earned preseason Top Drawer Soccer Best XI honor.
- Nelson was named The American Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
- Cichero was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and Top Drawer Soccer Best XI.
- McLaughlin was the 2016 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.
- Cano and Cichero were named all-conference second team last year.



SMU AT THE AMERICAN MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Since SMU joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013, SMU is 2-2-1 in the American Men's Soccer Championship. In its four year history, SMU has advanced to three conference tournaments.

2013
Nov. 9: No. 14 UConn 5, SMU 0 (L)

2014
Nov. 8: SMU 4, UCF 0 (W)
Nov. 14: Tulsa 2, SMU 0 (L)

2015
Nov. 7: SMU 2, Cincinnati 1 (W)
Nov. 13: SMU 2, Tulsa 2 (T 2 OT) (Tulsa advanced on PK's, 4-3)

SMU RANKS NO. 11 IN LATEST UNITED SOCCER COACHES POLL (Nov. 7, 2017)
The SMU men's soccer team is ranked No. 11 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. SMU moved up two spots after a 1-0 win against UConn last week. The Mustangs are No. 18 in the RPI with a 7-2-1 record against the Top 100.



UNITED SOCCER COACHES NCAA DIVISION I MEN – NATIONAL – POLL 10 (Nov. 7, 2017)

Rank	School	1st Votes	Total Points	Prev.	W-L-T
1	Wake Forest	18	592	1	16-1-1
2	Indiana	5	577	2	14-0-4
3	Stanford	0	543	4	14-2-1
4	Western Michigan	0	503	5	15-2-1
5	Clemson	1	480	9	12-4-1
6	North Carolina	0	456	3	14-3-1
7	Akron	0	441	10	14-2-1
8	FIU	0	426	7	11-0-4
9	Louisville	0	400	6	11-2-4
10	Michigan	0	347	12	12-4-2
11	SMU	0	334	13	13-2-1
12	Air Force	0	303	14	14-1-3
13	Notre Dame	0	295	21	11-5-2
14	Michigan State	0	279	8	11-3-3
15	Butler	0	272	15	12-4-1
16	Duke	0	250	11	12-4-2
17	Virginia	0	242	16	11-3-4
18	Georgetown	0	212	18	12-3-2
19	Dartmouth	0	166	19	11-3-1
20	Washington	0	146	17	12-5-1
21	New Hampshire	0	123	20	11-2-4
22	California	0	116	RV	11-5-0
23	Seattle	0	87	23	10-3-4
24	VCU	0	50	22	11-5-0
25	Columbia	0	42	RV	10-2-3

Also receiving votes: Coastal Carolina (34), Maryland (24), North Carolina State (20), Pacific (13), Massachusetts (10), Wisconsin (8), William & Mary (3), Fordham (2), Portland (2), Rider (2)

18 - RPI
The Mustangs are No. 18 in the RPI (through Nov. 5) with a 7-2-1 record against the top 100.

RPI	Opponent	Date	Result
13	at No. 1 Stanford	Sept. 7, 2017	L, 3-1
42	at USF	Oct. 29, 2017	T, 0-0 (2 OT)
56	Loyola (Md.)	Sept. 15, 2017	W, 4-0
61	UCF	Sept. 29, 2017	W, 2-1
62	UC Davis	Aug. 25, 2017	W, 3-2
64	at Tulsa	Sept. 24, 2017	L, 1-0 (OT)
71	Brown	Sept. 17, 2017	W, 1-0
76	UConn	Nov. 4, 2017	W, 1-0
86	Oakland	Sept. 1, 2017	W, 2-1
90	at Temple	Oct. 7, 2017	W, 6-0

LAST TIME OUT – NO. 13 SMU WINS AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON TITLE (Nov. 4, 2017)
No. 13 SMU defeated Connecticut, 1-0, in front of packed crowd at Westcott Field on senior night to win the American Athletic Conference regular season title. The Mustangs clinched the No. 1 seed and the right to host the American Men's Soccer Championship. After a scoreless first half, Emil Cuello sent a pass that was popped up in the air to a streaking Garrett McLaughlin, who gathered it and floated a shot over the Huskies keeper for the game-winning score in the 78th minute. It was McLaughlin's 13th goal, which is the most by a Mustang since Alex Smith tallied 13 in 2004. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, native now has 17 career goals and eight game-winners in only 32 matches.

ABOUT SMU (AMERICAN)
SMU is led by head coach Kevin Hudson, who returned 21 letterwinners, including eight starters from last season. SMU leads the conference in points (6.00), goals (1.94), and assists per game (2.12). The Mustangs have been sharing the ball on the offensive end with 34 total assists, which leads The American and tied for 17th in the NCAA. Garrett McLaughlin and Mauro Cichero are ranked 2-3 in the league in points with 28 (13 goals, 2 assists) and 25 (9 goals, 7 assists), respectively. The Mustangs were selected to finish fifth in the preseason poll of The American, a league that sent two teams (Tulsa, USF) to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. SMU is the only team in The American with double-digit wins and is the only team in the conference ranked in the United Coaches' Poll. The Mustangs won their season opener against UC Davis (3-2), followed by two wins against Oakland (2-1) and Cornell (3-0) to claim the SMU Tournament title. On the first road trip of the season, the Mustangs went 1-1 in California with a 3-1 loss to then-No. 1 Stanford, before a 1-0 victory against Santa Clara. SMU was on a six-match winning streak before playing to a scoreless drive at USF last week. The Mustangs remain undefeated on the Hilltop this season with a 10-0 record at home. SMU went 6-9-1 overall and 2-4-1 in conference play in 2016.

ABOUT TEMPLE (AMERICAN)
No. 4 seed Temple finished the regular season 9-7-1 overall and 4-3 in league play. The Owls topped USF, 1-0, in its final game of the season to earn a spot in the semifinals. Temple is led by Thibault Candia, who has seven goals and an assist. Four Owls have scored multiple goals this season led by Candia with seven, Alan Camacho Soto with five, Joonas Jokinen with four and Mark Grasela with three. Temple is second in the conference in both shots (226) and goals (26). Alex Cagle and Michael Sammik have both seen time in front of the net for the Owls. Sammik has 30 saves and three shutouts, while Cagle has 12 saves and one shutout.

SMU-TEMPLE SERIES HISTORY
SMU and Temple meet for the second time this season and sixth time overall with the Mustangs holding a 3-1-1 series advantage. The first meeting in 2013 ended in a 1-1 tie, followed by two SMU victories in 2014 (2-1) and 2015 (2-0). Last season, Temple's Jorge Gomez Sanchez hit the game-winning goal in the 13th minute to defeat SMU, 1-0. The Mustangs defeated Temple, 2-1, in Philadelphia on Oct. 7 in their first meeting this season.

LAST TIME AGAINST TEMPLE (W, 2-1 at Temple on Oct. 7, 2017)
Mauro Cichero header in the 80th minute proved to be the game-winner as the No. 25 SMU men's soccer team defeated Temple, 2-1, at the Temple Sports Complex. The MAC Hermann Trophy candidate registered his sixth goal of the season off a cross from the left wing from Emil Cuello, who was credited with the assist. SMU jumped out to an early lead after Jared Rice drilled a shot from 30-yards out in the 21st minute. It was his first goal of the season and his second career goal. He was the ninth Mustang to score this season.

TEMPLE 3-1-1
H: 1-1-1, A: 2-0, N: 0-0

2013	O9	H	T (2 OT)	1-1
2014	O11	A	W (OT)	2-1
2015	O31	H	W	2-0
2016	O8	H	L	0-1
2017	O7	A	W	2-1

SENIOR MUSTANG TRIO GARNERS AAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS; SIX NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS (Nov. 8, 2017)
Three Mustangs were named American Athletic Conference Players of Year and six were selected to the first, second and rookie all-conference teams for the 2017 regular season. Head Coach Kevin Hudson and his staff also earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Jordan Cano was named Defensive Player of the Year, Mauro Cichero was picked as the Midfielder of the Year and Michael Nelson earned Goalkeeper of the Year. The Mustangs had four first team selections in Cano, Cichero, Nelson and Garrett McLaughlin. Jared Rice picked up second team honors, while Talen Maples earned all-rookie accolades.

MUSTANG TRIO EARNS FINAL AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WEEKLY AWARDS (Nov. 6, 2017)
After No. 13 SMU defeated Connecticut last week to win the American Athletic Conference regular season title, Garrett McLaughlin, Michael Nelson and Jordan Cano garnered final conference weekly honors. McLaughlin was named Offensive Player of the Week, Cano was picked as the Defensive Player of the Week and Nelson earned Goalkeeper of the Week.

NELSON NAMED TO THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (Oct. 31, 2017)
Michael Nelson was selected to the American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll. He posted his third shutout in league play and made seven saves in a 0-0 draw at USF.

CANO, NELSON EARN AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WEEKLY AWARDS (Oct. 23, 2017)
Jordan Cano and Michael Nelson earned American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively. Cano nabbed his second weekly award of the season and third of his career. The Frisco, Texas, native led the Mustangs backline to two shutout victories against Oral Roberts and at Cincinnati. Cano is third on the team in assists with four. Nelson earns back-to-back American Goalkeeper of the Week honors after recording two shutouts and posting two wins in an undefeated week for No. 14 SMU. The senior played every minute in goal last week and made three saves while posting a 1.000 save percentage with no goals allowed (0.00 GAA). McLaughlin picks up his third weekly honor roll accolade after scoring eight points (4 goals) last week, including two at Cincinnati. He has now recorded multiple goals in three of the Mustangs last four matches. McLaughlin leads the team in points (26), goals (12) and game-winners (6).

NELSON NAMED AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK (Oct. 16, 2017)
Michael Nelson was named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week, while Mauro Cichero and Talen Maples were selected to the weekly honor roll. Nelson racked up seven saves to lead No. 17 SMU to two shutout victories last week. The two-time American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year collected three saves in the Mustangs 6-0 win Tuesday against Northeastern. Nelson closed out the week with four saves to pick up his fifth shutout of the season in SMU's 1-0 double overtime victory Saturday against Memphis. Nelson has 34 saves this season and is sporting a 0.74 goals-against-average with a .791 save percentage. It is his first weekly award of the year and his first since Nov. 2, 2015.

CICHERO AND RICE NAMED TO THE AMERICAN WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (Oct. 9, 2017)
Mauro Cichero and Jared Rice were named to the American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll. Cichero picks up his second weekly honor after heading in the game-winner in a 2-1 victory at Temple. The MAC Hermann Trophy candidate was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week after recording his first career hat trick against UC Davis (Aug. 25) in the season opener. Cichero tallied his sixth goal of the season against the Owls off a cross from the left wing from Emil Cuello. The Norman, Oklahoma, native now has 21 career goals, including nine game-winners. He is tied for the conference lead in points (16) and is tied for second goals (6). Rice earned his second consecutive weekly honor after being named The American Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 2. He recorded his first goal of the season at Temple after drilling a shot from 30-yards out to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.  He is tied for the team lead in assists (4) and is third in points (6).

TWO MUSTANGS GARNER AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONORS (Oct. 2, 2017)
Jared Rice was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while DJ Williams was selected to the weekly honor roll. Rice picked up his second career weekly award after leading the Mustangs backline to a 2-1 victory last weekend against UCF. He was credited with his fourth assist of the season when he launched a perfect cross from the far wing to Williams for the game-winning goal in the 75th minute. The Dallas native headed the ball into the back of the net for his first goal of the season and second in his career.

CICHERO NAMED 2017 SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE (Sept. 22, 2017)
Mauro Cichero has been named one of 30 candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award. The award is presented annually to an NCAA Division I senior with notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The Norman, Oklahoma, native is on pace to graduate in December with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physiology & Sport Management. Cichero has routinely been active in the community, spending time with local children at free youth clinics and camps, while providing direction through soccer oriented games. He also has done community service work with Habitat for Humanity. Cichero has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the TopDrawerSoccer.com Best XI second team and the Preseason All-Conference team. Cichero is the emotional leader of the Mustangs as he is tied for the conference lead in points (14) and tied for second in the league in assists (4). Cichero has five goals this season, and is tied for the team lead with teammate Garrett McLaughlin. He notched his first career hat trick against UC Davis in the season opener (Aug. 25) to earn The American Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28). An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. The 30 candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2017 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December.

THREE MUSTANGS GARNER AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONORS (Sept. 18, 2017)
Jordan Cano was named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, while Garrett McLaughlin and Michael Nelson were selected to the weekly honor roll. Cano picked up his second career weekly award after leading the Mustang backline to two shutouts with a 4-0 win against Loyola (Md.) and a 1-0 victory against Brown. He was credited with an assist when he threaded a pass between two Loyola (Md.) defenders to McLaughlin for the Mustangs' first goal against the Greyhounds. McLaughlin has garnered conference weekly honor roll accolades for the second straight week, and was named The American Player of the Week on Sept. 4, 2017. Two-time American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Michael Nelson continued his stellar season as he recorded two shutouts and made four saves against the Greyhounds and the Bears. The Katy, Texas, native has been named to the weekly honor roll five times in his career.

MCLAUGHLIN AND PONDER NAMED TO THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HONOR ROLL (Sept. 11, 2017)
Garrett McLaughlin registered three points on a goal and an assist on the road in a 1-1 week for the Mustangs. He picked up his third goal of the season against then-No. 1 Stanford, which was the first goal the Cardinal had given up this season. McLaughlin was credited with an assist in the Mustangs' 1-0 victory against Santa Clara. Ponder was the recipient of McLauglin's assist as he scored the game-winning goal against the Broncos and led SMU backline to a 1-0 shutout win.

MCLAUGHLIN NAMED THE AMERICAN OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Sept. 4, 2017)
Garrett McLaughlin was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. McLaughlin netted two goals (4 points) on four shots to earn his first weekly player of the week honor and be named to the SMU Tournament All-Tournament team.

CICHERO NAMED AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Aug. 28, 2017)
Mauro Cichero was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. The senior forward recorded his first career hat trick in a 3-2 victory against UC Davis in the season opener on Friday. The MAC Hermann Trophy candidate scored two goals late to rally the Mustangs and now has 18 career goals, including seven game winners. He leads the conference in points (six) and goals (three). Cichero won the league's first weekly honor, giving him four for his career. In 2015, he was named player of the week three times helping lead SMU to conference regular season title and was also named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

HUDDY'S HOME
Head Coach Kevin Hudson has compiled a 33-14-6 (.685) record, including a 26-8-1 (.757) record at Westcott Field. During Hudson's nine years on the Hilltop (six as an assistant coach), the Mustangs have reached the NCAA Tournament on five occasions, advancing as far as the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2010. In 2010 and 2012, SMU earned the Conference USA regular season title, and in 2011 the squad won the tournament championship. In his first year as head coach, Hudson's team claimed the 2015 American Athletic Conference regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. Hudson and his coaching staff were named the 2015 AAC Coaching Staff of the Year. The Mustangs have amassed a 116-65-24 (.624) record during Hudson's tenure. In just his third year, Hudson has led the Mustangs to another regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the American Men's Soccer Championship. Hudson and his staff were named The American Coaching Staff of the Year after finishing the regular season 13-2-1 and 5-1-1 in league play.

THERE'S (MAUR-O) WHERE THAT CAME FROM
Mauro Cichero was named The American Midfielder of the Year and first team all-conference. Cichero is third in the league in points with 25 (9 goals, 7 assists). He scored the golden goal in SMU's 1-0 double overtime victory against Memphis. It was his fourth game-winner of the season. Cichero also led the Mustangs to a 6-0 victory against Northeastern with six points (2 goals, 2 assists). Cichero recorded his third game-winner of the season at Temple with a header in the 80th minute. He notched his first career hat trick in the season opener (Aug. 25) to earn The American Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28). Cichero has garnered several preseason accolades heading into the 2017 season. He has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, the TopDrawerSoccer.com Best XI second team and the preseason all-conference team. The Norman, Oklahoma native earned second team all-conference honors last season after playing in 15 games for the Mustangs, scoring three goals on 44 shots with one assist. As a sophomore, Cichero helped lead the Mustangs to a 15-3-4 record, a conference regular season title and to the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015. The senior forward was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous First-Team All-Conference selection. Cichero finished his second season on the Hilltop ranked first on the team in goals (10), points (29) and shots (71), and second in assists (9). On the Hilltop, Cichero has started 65 matches and has tallied 24 goals, including 10 game winners, and 21 assists.

THE KEEPER
Michael Nelson claimed his third conference Goalkeeper of the Year award as the senior was awarded the honor in 2014 and 2015. The Katy, Texas, native has started all 16 matches in goal for SMU and leads the conference in four categories. He is first in shutouts (9), shutouts per game (0.56), goals against average (0.55) and save percentage (.836). Nelson ranks fourth in the league in saves with 46. Nelson was named to the conference weekly honor roll after recording his eighth shutout of the season at USF in a 0-0 draw. Nelson earned back-to-back American Goalkeeper of the Week honors (Oct. 16 and Oct. 23) after recording two shutouts and posting two wins against Oral Roberts and Cincinnati. The senior played every minute in goal against Oral Roberts and Cincinnati and made three saves while posting a 1.000 save percentage with no goals allowed (0.00 GAA). He was also named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 16 after racking up seven saves in two shutout victories against Northeastern and Memphis. It was his first weekly award of the year and his first since Nov. 2, 2015. Nelson has amassed 25 career shutouts on the Hilltop. He was named to the conference weekly honor roll on Sept. 18. For the third consecutive season, Nelson has been named the 2017 American Athletic Conference Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. The two-time conference Goalkeeper of the Year (2014, 2015) recorded 55 saves, three shutouts last season, while posting a 1.16 goals against average to go with a .764 save percentage.

G-MAC
Garrett McLaughlin was a first team all-conference unanimous selection after leading the conference in goals (13) and finishing second in points (28). The 2016 American Rookie of the Year ranks in the top-15 in the NCAA in three categories. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, native leads the nation in game-winning goals (7), tied for eighth in goals and tied for 14th in points. McLaughlin leads the team in goals (13) on the season and has 17 career goals in just 32 games. McLaughlin's seven game-winning goals lead the NCAA and his 28 points (13 goals, 2 assists) are tied for 14th in the country. He punched in a pair of goals to lead SMU to a 2-0 win against Oral Roberts. In the Mustangs 6-0 victory against Northeastern, McLaughlin recorded two goals and one assist to finish with five points. McLaughlin has garnered conference weekly honor roll accolades twice this season (Sept. 11 and Sept. 18), and was named The American Player of the Week on Sept. 4. McLaughlin earned his second career conference weekly honor after netting two goals on four shots in wins against Oakland and Cornell. He was also named to the SMU Tournament All-Tournament team. He returned for his sophomore campaign on the Hilltop after being named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year last season. McLaughlin played in all 16 games and started seven for the Mustangs. McLaughlin led the team with 11 points off a team-high four goals, including a goal against then-No. 16 Akron in an eventual, 4-3, Mustang victory in overtime and the game-tying goal against Connecticut. McLaughlin was also credited with three assists and finished second on the team in shots on goal with 12. He was also named to the conference Weekly Honor Roll for the week of Oct. 17.

THE JORDAN STOPPER
Cano is the sixth Mustang to win the Defensive Player of the Year award and the first since graduate assistant Jaime Ibarra in 2012. He started 16 matches and tallied four assists while anchoring the SMU backline that has allowed only nine goals. The Frisco, Texas, native was also named the conference Defensive Player of the Week three times. Cano is one of the leaders of the Mustangs backline and is third on the team in assists with four. Cano was named The American Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 23. The Frisco, Texas, native led the Mustangs backline to two shutout victories against Oral Roberts and at Cincinnati. He picked up his first award of the season on Sept. 18 after helping SMU record two more shutout victories with a 4-0 win against Loyola (Md.) and a 1-0 decision against Brown. He was credited with his third assist of the season when he threaded a pass between two Loyola (Md.) defenders to McLaughlin for the Mustangs' first goal against the Greyhounds. Cano is the most experienced defender on the Mustangs' roster and has been named to the all-conference second team the past two years. Last season, he scored in back-to-back matches against Memphis and Cincinnati, earning four total points. Cano has been consistent and reliable in the backline for the Mustangs playing in 37 games with 36 starts the last two years (2015, 2016). The Frisco, Texas, native was also named to the All-Rookie team in 2014.

EDDIE-NATIONAL
Defender Eddie Munjoma was named to the U.S. Under-19 Men's National Team domestic training camp roster. Munjoma was one of 22 players called to attend the eight-day camp from February 3-10 in Sunrise, Florida. As a freshman last season, Munjoma started 12 of 13 games for SMU and played 1,149 minutes on the pitch. He tallied four points on four assists, including three assists against then-No.16 Akron helping the Mustangs beat the Zips 4-3 in overtime.

2017 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON HONORS
Four Mustangs were named to the preseason All-American Athletic Conference team, the league announced. SMU was picked to finish fifth in the conference, receiving one of the eight first place votes by the league's coaches. The Mustangs return eight starters from last season, including Jordan Cano, Mauro Cichero, Garrett McLaughlin and Michael Nelson, who all made the preseason all-conference team.

2016 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HONORS
Forward Garrett McLaughlin was named American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, while defender Jordan Cano and midfielder Mauro Cichero were named to The American All-Conference second team.

Rookie of the Year: Garrett McLaughlin
Second Team: Jordan Cano and Mauro Cichero

2017 MEN'S SOCCER WATCH LISTS/PRESEASON HONORS

JORDAN CANO
All-American Athletic Conference

MAURO CICHERO
MAC Hermann Trophy
Top Drawer Soccer Best XI
All-American Athletic Conference

GARRETT MCLAUGHLIN
All-American Athletic Conference

MICHAEL NELSON
American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year
All-American Athletic Conference

2017 MEN'S SOCCER SEASON HONORS/AWARDS

JORDAN CANO
SMU Tournament All-Tournament Team
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 18, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 23, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year
First Team All-American Athletic Conference

MAURO CICHERO
SMU Tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP)
American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28, 2017)
Senior CLASS Award Candidate (Sept. 22, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 9, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 16, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year
First Team All-American Athletic Conference

TALEN MAPLES
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 16, 2017)
All-Rookie Team

GARRETT MCLAUGHLIN
SMU Tournament All-Tournament Team
American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 4, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Sept. 11, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Sept. 18, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 23, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 6, 2017)
First Team All-American Athletic Conference

MICHAEL NELSON
SMU Tournament All-Tournament Team
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Sept. 18, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week (Oct. 16, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week (Oct. 23, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 31, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week (Nov. 6, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year
First Team All-American Athletic Conference

PHILIP PONDER
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Sept. 11, 2017)

JARED RICE
American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 2, 2017)
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 9, 2017)
Second Team All-American Athletic Conference

CALEB SMITH
SMU Tournament All-Tournament Team

DJ Williams
American Athletic Conference Honor Roll (Oct. 2, 2017)

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES
The Mustangs return 21 letterwinners, including eight starters from last season, while adding 11 newcomers to the roster. The 2017 recruiting class consists of Joshua Berney, Ryan Capo, Matteo DeFina, Nicky Hernandez, Noah Hilt, Talen Maples, Dakota Okwuone, Luke Thompson, Austin Vincent, Patrick Wintergalen and graduate transfer Tyler Long.

SMU SOCCER PROGRAMS EARN 2016-17 TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD (Oct. 5, 2017)
Both SMU soccer programs earned the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) Team Academic Award. The teams were recognized for their exemplary performance in the classroom during the 2016-17 academic year. SMU was one of 202 collegiate programs to have both their men and women's teams earn the award. The SMU women's team, which posted a 3.50 team grade-point average for the 2016-17 academic year, has earned the honor for the sixth consecutive season. The SMU men's soccer team earned the academic award for its second consecutive season following a 3.40 GPA. A total of 824 soccer teams (286 men, 538 women) earned the honor. To qualify for the award, the team must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 or higher for the entire academic year. The team GPA is determined by adding every player's GPA, then dividing by the number of players.

MEN'S SOCCER HIGH SCHOOL COACHES DAY (Aug. 19, 2017)
SMU men's soccer head coach Kevin Hudson and staff hosted a coaches day Saturday, Aug. 19 at Westcott Field, which was open to high school coaches. The event provided insight to the day-to-day operations of the program, while also giving coaches an inside look at the preparation that takes place before matches.

WESTCOTT FIELD
One of the most popular soccer venues in the country, Westcott Field, is the home turf for both the SMU men's and women's soccer teams. Both teams began competing at Westcott Field in 1994. The grass facility was used as a training site for the Dallas venue of World Cup USA '94. Teams from Germany, Bulgaria, Sweden and Holland practiced there before their games at the Cotton Bowl. Within more recent years, Westcott Field has climbed the charts as one of the nation's exciting soccer stadiums. In 2001, Westcott Field ranked among the highest attended facilities during the SMU men's team No. 1 reign for 14 weeks, as well as the women's team march to the Western Athletic Conference Title. In 2004, the Mustangs added a press box to the stadium featuring attractive lettering and the Mustangs' past champions. Before the 2006 season, SMU installed a new turf and a state-of-the art drainage system.

FREE SOCCER
Adding to its menu of free, family-friendly events, SMU Athletics will now offer free admission to all Mustang soccer matches beginning this fall. The soccer programs are among 11 SMU sports that offer free admission. Others include volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's golf, rowing and equestrian. SMU will host a combined 22 matches at Westcott Field, 12 women's games and 10 men's games.

SMU ATHLETICS, SOCCER PROGRAMS TO SEE FACE LIFT
SMU recently announced plans to construct a new Indoor Performance Center, an outdoor natural grass football practice field and a new soccer stadium, another sign of the University's commitment to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. These plans come on the heels of amazing success during SMU's Second Century Campaign, when SMU Athletics secured more than $191 million in gift commitments, and after 18 months of careful planning and design. The new soccer stadium, to be used by SMU's men's and women's soccer teams, will be located on Mockingbird Lane, the site of the current practice fields.

UP NEXT
The semifinal winners will square off in the title game on Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPNU for the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following the SMU Men's Soccer Team on Twitter at @SMUSoccerM, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUSoccerM, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMU_MSOC. Follow SMU Athletics on Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.