WKU Football led Conference USA with 15 players receiving 2024 All-CUSA honors, the league announced Tuesday.

WKU had a league-high nine players named to the All-CUSA First or Second Team, while six received All-CUSA Honorable Mention status. That group is led by All-CUSA First Team Defense selections in defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler and defensive back Upton Stout, as well as an All-CUSA First Team Special Teams selection in kicker Lucas Carneiro.

Those three are joined by All-CUSA Second Team Offense honorees in quarterback Caden Veltkamp, wide receiver Kisean Johnson and offensive linemen Quantavious Leslie and Marshall Jackson, as well as an All-CUSA Second Team Defense pick in defensive back Devonte’ Mathews and an All-CUSA Second Team Special Teams selection in long snapper Rex Robich.

WKU had six All-CUSA honorable mention picks in wide receiver Easton Messer, offensive lineman Travon Taylor, offensive lineman Evan Wibberley, defensive tackle Dallas Walker, defensive end Deante McCray and linebacker Darius Thomas.

In addition to the 15 players on the All-CUSA teams, WKU had two players selected to the 2024 CUSA All-Freshman Team – wide receiver Cameron Flowers and linebacker Lofton Howard.

Wheeler ranks second on the team in total tackles with 74, while adding five tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, as well as two blocked kicks.

Stout recorded 52 tackles, with 7.5 for loss and a sack, plus an interception, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries. Stout has already accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Carneiro has been nearly perfect at kicking for WKU this fall. He is 17-for-18 on field goals, with 17 straight makes, and he has gone 39-for-39 on PATs. His 17 consecutive field goals made marks the longest streak in program history. He has gone 6-for-6 on field goals of 50-plus yards this season, including two 54-yard makes, which are career highs and are tied for the second-longest in program history.

Carneiro was named CUSA’s Special Teams Player of the Year three times, and he was the only kicker in the league that was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.

Veltkamp replaced injured starter TJ Finley in WKU’s third game and has started every game since. He has 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns, while rushing for 162 yards and seven scores. Nationally, Veltkamp ranks 21st in completion percentage, 25th in passing efficiency, 22nd in passing touchdowns, 15th in points responsible for and 17 in points responsible for per game.

Johnson started each game at receiver this season and led the team with 855 yards and seven touchdowns on 66 receptions. He had back-to-back 100-yard receiving games against EKU and Middle Tennessee, and against the Blue Raiders he had season highs of 129 yards and two touchdowns receiving. He ranks second in the league in receptions, fifth in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns.

Leslie, who was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List prior to the season, started each game for WKU at left guard, while Jackson did the same at right tackle to help one of the top offenses in CUSA.

Mathews started each game this season from his safety position and led the Hilltoppers with 89 tackles, including one for loss. He totaled four fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and two interceptions.

Robich served as WKU’s long snapper, helping WKU to four CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week awards. His biggest individual moment came in WKU’s win over Toledo, when he helped down a punt at the 2-yard line, setting up a safety on the next play as part of the Hilltopper comeback.

Messer was second on the team in receiving, posting 725 yards and four touchdowns on 52 catches. He also served as WKU’s primary kick returner, and was on the 2024 Paul Hornung Award Watch List and was a Burlsworth Trophy nominee prior to the season. Taylor was WKU’s starter at left tackle during the regular season, while Wibberley has started every game for the Hilltoppers at center.

Walker started at nose tackle all season for WKU, where he posted 45 tackles, with four for loss, plus an interception, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. McCray was WKU’s starting defensive end and tallied 53 tackles, with three for loss, 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. Thomas started at linebacker for WKU and had 54 tackles, with 6.5 for loss, four sacks, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Flowers and Howard made the CUSA All-Freshman Team after playing primarily on special teams this season, while providing depth at wide receiver and linebacker, respectively.

CUSA will announce individual Players of the Year and Coach of the Year awards on Wednesday.

WKU will face James Madison in the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m. CST in Boca Raton, Florida.