PROVIDENCE, R.I. (SMU/The American) – Seven Mustangs have been selected to American Athletic Conference first, second and rookie all-conference teams for the 2018 regular-season, the AAC announced Tuesday.

SMU had two first team selections in Emil Cuello and Talen Maples. Grant Makela, Akean Shackleford and Garrett McLaughlin picked up second team honors, while Knut Ahlander and Lane Warrington earned all-rookie accolades.

Sophomore Talen Maples was named Defensive Player of the Week and freshman Lane Warrington was named Rookie of the Week by the American Athletic Conference after the team's 1-0 victory over Tulsa (9/22/18) to open conference play. Maples, the team's captain, played all 90 minutes in the victory and was part of a defensive effort that submitted the Mustangs' fourth shutout on the year. The Leander, Texas product also logged a shot on goal in the team's win to open conference play for the first time since 2015.

Maples was also named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll (9/4/18) for his game winning goal that came in the 60th minute of the Incarnate Word match. Maples notched goals in back-to-back contests, his first coming in the 18th minute against Campbell in a 4-0 victory.

Warrington, in the fourth start of his collegiate career, found the back of the net in the 3' of the contest when he launched a strike near the left corner of the goal box. The Lawton, Oklahoma native is the second Mustang to notch the first goal of his collegiate career this season.

Junior Grant Makela was named Goalkeeper of the Week after the team's 3-0 victory over Memphis (10/12/18). Makela played all 90 minutes and picked up his fifth shutout of this season. With five shutouts in his then 11 games in net, Makela and SMU led the conference in the category.

Makela was also named to the American Athlete Conferences' Honor Roll (10/29/18) after he turned aside four shots against UConn to pick up his sixth shutout between the pipes on the season.
 
Senior midfielder Emil Cuello was named to the Honor Roll (10/15/18) after he racked up two goals against Memphis, scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season as SMU downed the Tigers, 3-0.
 
Junior forward Akean Shackleford was named to the Honor Roll (10/22/18) after he racked up two goals against Cincinnati, scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season as SMU defeated the Bearcats, 3-1.
 
American Athletic Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Garrett McLaughlin was the lone conference player to make the 2018 Preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as announced by United Soccer Coaches. McLaughlin was one of just 31 Division I men's players tabbed to the list on August 9. 2018 marks the third-straight season SMU has seen a player named to the Preseason Watch List, as Mauro Cichero was recognized the past two seasons.

The Mustangs clinched the No. 2 seed and will play the winner of USF and Memphis in the American Men's Soccer Championship Semifinals Nov. 8 in Orlando. The UCF Track & Soccer Complex in Orlando, Fla. will serve as the site for next week's Championship. 

American Athletic Conference 2018 Men's Soccer Awards:
 
First Team All-Conference
F - Cal Jennings, Jr., UCF*
F - Abdou Mbacke Thiam, Sr., UConn*
F - Tomasz Skublak, Sr., USF
M - Louis Perez, So., UCF*
M - Yoni Sorokin, So., UCF
M - Emil Cuello, Sr., SMU
D - Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, Sr., UConn*
D - Talen Maples, So., SMU
D - Ben Roberts, Jr., Memphis
GK - Yannik Oettl, So., UCF
At-Large - David Zalzman, Sr., M, Memphis
 
Second Team All-Conference
Grant Makela, Jr., GK, SMU
Yanis Leerman, Fr., D, UCF
Dylan Greenberg, R-Sr., D, UConn
Dayonn Harris, R-Jr.., M, UConn
Robin Lapert, So., D, UConn
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn
Avionne Flanagan, So., D, USF
Alex Zis, Jr., M, USF
Garrett McLaughlin, Jr., F, SMU
Akean Shackleford, Jr., F, SMU
Lukas Fernandes, Jr., M, Temple
Chase Bromstedt, So., M, Tulsa
 
All-Rookie Team
Andres Hernandez Betancur, Fr., D, UCF
Yanis Leerman, Fr., D, UCF*
Ibrahima Diop, Fr., F, UConn
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn*
Gurman Sangha, Fr., M/F, Memphis
Henrique Gallina, Fr., D, USF
Knut Ahlander, Fr., M, SMU
Lane Warrington, Fr., M, SMU
Andres Charles-Barrera, Fr., M, Temple
Jalen Campbell, Fr., M, Temple
Gilles Kuhler, Fr., F, Tulsa*
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Cal Jennings, Jr., F, UCF
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, Sr., D, UConn
 
Midfielder of the Year
Louis Perez, So., M, UCF
 
Goalkeeper of the Year
Yannik Oettl, So., UCF
 
Rookie of the Year
Felix Metzler, Fr., M, UConn
 
Coaching Staff of the Year
UCF
 
Team Fair Play Award
UConn
 
*denotes unanimous selection