Lamar will begin the season with only one player named to the All-Southland Conference football teams, which were released Thursday.

Junior Zae Giles was selected as a second-team punt returner. The regular wide receiver from Austin Lyndon B. Johnson led the team with seven punt returns for 12.43 yards per touch, with a long of 44, in 2017.

As a kick returner, Giles returned eight for 152 yards (19 per return). He also hauled in 84 passes for 734 yards and four touchdowns in his career, including 58 for 518 yards in 2016.

With 12 more receptions, Giles will break into Lamar’s all-time top 10 in that category.

“We are very excited for Zae to be recognized by the rest of the Southland coaches,” second-year Lamar coach Mike Schultz said. “Zae is a very dynamic athlete with the ability to impact the game in several different ways. His speed makes him a big-play threat every time he touches the ball. The special thing about Zae is he understands that this is a preseason honor, and he has to continue his hard work to make this a reality for the postseason all-conference teams.”

Giles, who wore No. 1 the past two years, will switch to No. 11.

Nicholls State led preseason All-Southland picks with 14, including junior quarterback Chase Fourcade (2,316 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2017 while leading the Colonels to the NCAA Division I playoffs). The league’s head coaches nominated and voted on the all-conference teams.

Schultz and Lamar players to be named will appear in the Southland’s Media Day on July 19 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak.