IRVING, Texas (AAC/SMU) – Four SMU men's soccer players were named to the Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team as the Mustangs were selected to finish second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced on Thursday.

Knut Ahlander and Skage Simonsen were unanimous selections to the preseason team while Gabriel Costa and Papa Ndoye joined their teammates as the other two preseason nods.

Ahlander was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team after being named the 2020 Conference Midfielder of the Year. The standout played all 11 games during the shortened season and recorded two assists. Simonsen was also a unanimous selection to the team, coming off a 2020 campaign that saw him tie for the team's most goals at six while also tallying one assist and recording 25 shots. Both athletes were named to the 2020 All-Conference First Team.

Costa's 2020 season saw him score three goals and contribute five assists while totaling 34 shots during 11 games. During nine games in the 2020 season, Ndoye helped Simonsen lead the team in goals with six, while recording one assist and a team-high 37 shots. Ndoye also landed a spot on the All-Conference Second Team at the end of the 2020 season.

This season marks the seventh-consecutive year that at least one Mustang has been selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.

SMU garnered two first-place votes in the 2021 AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, where they came in at second, just one point behind first-place UCF. The Mustangs edged out third-place Tulsa, fourth-place USF, fifth-place Temple and sixth-place Memphis.

The Mustangs open their season on Thursday, August 26 as they take on Stanford at the Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. and will be available to stream on ESPN+.

2021 American Athletic Conference
Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
 

Team (1st Place Votes)	Points
UCF (3)	22
SMU (2)	21
Tulsa (1)	19
South Florida	12
Temple	11
Memphis	5

 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Alex Meinhard, So., F, Tulsa
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Yanis Leerman, Sr., D, UCF
 
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Eoin Gawronski, R-Fr., Temple*
 
Preseason All-Conference Team
Yanis Leerman, Sr., D, UCF*
Anderson Rosa, So., D, UCF*
Gino Vivi, Jr., F, UCF
Sal Mazzaferro, So., D, South Florida*
Knut Ahlander, Sr., M, SMU*
Gabriel Costa, Sr., M, SMU
Papa Ndoye, Jr., F, SMU
Skage Simonsen, Sr., M, SMU*
Jalen Campbell, Jr., M, Temple*
Eoin Gawronski, R-Fr., GK, Temple*
Sean Karani, So., F, Temple*
Chase Bromstedt, R-Sr., M, Tulsa*
Mariano Fazio, Sr., D, Tulsa*
Alex Meinhard, So., F, Tulsa*

 *denotes unanimous selection