SMU's Mauro Cichero named first-team All-America

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Cichero Named To NSCAA All-America First Team, Five Named To All-East Region Teams
Cichero Named To Region's First Team, Four Named To Second and Third Team

Dec. 11, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (SMU) - SMU men's soccer player Mauro Cichero was named to the 2015 NSCAA Division I All-America First Team and All-East Region First Team, while Jacob Speed and John Lujano were named to the All-East Region Second Team and Michael Nelson and Jared Rice were named to the All-East Region Third Team.

Cichero, a sophomore from Norman, Oklahoma, was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the team in goals (10) and shots (71). The forward is a semifinalist for the 2015 MAC Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in intercollegiate soccer. Throughout the 2015 season, Cichero was named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week three times and was nationally recognized as the College Soccer News National Player of the Week on Oct. 12.

Senior captain Lujano, from McPherson, Kansas, earned AAC Midfielder of the Year after starting every match for the Mustangs and recording three assists, six shots and one goal in the 2015 season.

Speed, a senior from Mansfield, Texas, was part of the Mustang back line that played a major role in SMU's .99 goals against average and held opponents to a .302 shots on goal percentage.

Nelson, a Katy, Texas native, was named the AAC Goalkeeper of the Year, started all 22 matches in goal for SMU and ranked in the top- three of the conference in five different statistical categories. He finished the 2015 season with 90 saves and posted a .99 goals against average, including nine shutouts.

Rice, a sophomore defender from Plano, Texas, recorded one goal, 11 shots and a team leading 10 assists in the 2015 season. He was part of the Mustang defense that held nine opponents scoreless.

SMU finished the 2015 season with a 15-3-4 record, an AAC regular season title and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance, the 30th NCAA appearance in school history. The Mustangs dropped its NCAA Sweet 16 matchup against Akron, 2-1, on November 29.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Wow that is an impressive list of awards!