SMU seniors Jordan Cano and Michael Nelson earned United Soccer Men's Scholar All-America honors, as announced by the organization on Thursday. Cano was selected to the First Team while Nelson garnered a spot on the Second Team.
The Mustangs have two scholar-athlete All-Americans for the first time in program history. John Lujano was the last Mustang to receive the honor in 2014.
To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a junior or above with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) or better throughout their career.
Nominated student-athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of all games and significantly contributed to the team. They must have also been nominated by the head coach of a current College Services member institution.
Cano boasts a 3.67 grade-point-average and is majoring in finance. The Frisco, Texas, native was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the American Men's Soccer Championship (Nov. 10 & 12). Cano helped the Mustangs backline give up only one goal during the tournament while also providing offense with two goals in as many games. Cano finished third on the team in goals after tallying three in the Mustangs’ last five matches. He is the sixth Mustang to win The American Defensive Player of the Year award and the first since graduate assistant Jaime Ibarra in 2012. He was also named the conference Defensive Player of the Week three times.
Nelson carries a 3.38 GPA and is also majoring in finance. On the pitch, he claimed his third conference Goalkeeper of the Year award this season. The Katy, Texas, native started all 21 matches in goal for SMU and led the conference in four categories. He finished first in shutouts (10), shutouts per game (0.48), goals against average (0.60) and save percentage (.840). His 10 shutouts and 0.60 goals against average rank 10th and 12th in the nation, respectively. Nelson finished second in the league in saves with 68.
Cano was a Second Team All-American selection by the organization a week ago, while both players earned First Team All-East Region honors by the United Soccer Coaches on Dec. 1.
Cano and Nelson were two of 11 men's soccer student-athletes named to the Scholar All-West Region Team. SMU, Denver and national champion Stanford each had two selections to the team. Fifty-seven student-athletes across the country to earned Scholar All-Region honors.
They were the only student-athletes from The American voted to the All-Region teams. The honors are voted on by head coaches within their region.
The Mustangs finished the season ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and made their 31st appearance in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. SMU advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament for the 23rd time and the second time in the last three years (2015, 2017).