5 SMU Soccer Players Named All-Conference

George Walker | November 9, 2011 | SMU | No Comments

{fshare id=1849}

DALLAS (SMU) – Five SMU men’s soccer players were selected to All-Conference USA teams and senior Diogo de Almeida was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, Conference USA announced today.

In addition to his player of the year recognition, de Almeida was tabbed First Team All-C-USA. The defender started 16 games for the Mustangs, netting four goals and averaging over 93 minutes per game. He had a three-game goal-scoring streak from Oct. 12-21, including back-to-back game-winning goals against FIU and Missouri State.

Fellow senior Arthur Ivo was named First Team All-Conference USA for the second consecutive season. The midfielder has appeared in 16 games for SMU and leads the team in goals (6), assists (8) and points (20). He is also tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (3), including overtime game-clinchers at Duke and South Carolina.

Sophomore Juan Castillo made his second appearance on the All-Conference second team in as many seasons. Castillo has started 16 games at forward for the Mustangs, tallying five goals and assisting on three others. Along with Ivo, Castillo has scored three game-winners; against Dartmouth in overtime, at No. 18 UCLA and at Tulsa.

Junior T.J. Nelson was also selected Second Team All-C-USA. The midfielder has started every game for the Mustangs this year, playing 1534 of a possible 1590 minutes on the season. He also earned as assist against No. 14 UCF.

Freshman standout Aaron Simmons rounds out the Mustang honors as he was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team for his spectacular inaugural season on SMU’s back line. The defender has started all 17 games at center back, missing only 19 minutes the entire season. He has also contributed offensively, scoring a goal against No. 13 William & Mary in his first career game, and assisting on the overtime game-winning goal against Dartmouth.

SMU plays Marshall in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Championship tomorrow, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. in Tulsa, Okla.