Talen Maples
{{short description|American soccer player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Talen Maples
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Jon-Talen Maples
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|20}}
| birth_place = Leander, Texas, United States
| height = 1.83 m
| position = Centre-back
| currentclub = New Mexico United
| clubnumber = 12
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Georgetown Force
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Lonestar SC
| collegeyears1 = 2017–2019
| college1 = SMU Mustangs
| collegecaps1 = 49
| collegegoals1 = 4
| years1 = 2018–2019
| clubs1 = Brazos Valley Cavalry
| caps1 = 19
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021
| clubs2 = Toronto FC II
| caps2 = 19
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = Houston Dynamo 2
| caps3 = 49
| goals3 = 7
| years4 = 2024–
| clubs4 = New Mexico United
| caps4 = 45
| goals4 = 5
| club-update = June 16th, 2025
}}
Jon-Talen Maples (born November 20, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for New Mexico United in USL Championship.
College
In 2017, he attended Southern Methodist University, playing for the Mustangs soccer team.{{cite web|url=https://smumustangs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/talen-maples/9917|title=Talen Maples SMU profile|work=SMU Mustangs}} He scored his first goal on September 15 against Loyola. In his freshman season, he was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team. In 2018, he was named an AAC First Team All-Conference and Third Team All Region, and to the AAC All-Academic Team in 2018 and 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/jon-talen-maples/|title=Jon-Talen Maples profile|work=Major League Soccer}} He missed most of the 2019 season due to a torn ACL and meniscus injury as well as the 2020 season, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://thestrikertexas.com/2021/01/30/jon-talen-maples|title=Meet Jon-Talen Maples: The Austin-area native headed to MLS|first=George|last=Murray|date=February 2, 2021|work=The Striker Texas}}
Club career
In 2018, he played for Premier Development League club Brazos Valley Cavalry.{{cite web|url=https://theeagle.com/sports/high-school/bv-cavalry-fc-adds-three-to-2018-roster/article_c38bcfa6-4399-11e8-bb11-8f5ac7ddbd06.html|title=BV Cavalry FC adds three to 2018 roster|date=April 19, 2018|work=The Bryan-College Station Eagle}}
He was drafted 72nd overall by Toronto FC in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.{{cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2021/01/21/toronto-fc-select-di-rosa-crofts-rothrock-and-maples-2021-mls-superdraft|title=Toronto FC select Di Rosa, Crofts, Rothrock and Maples in the 2021 MLS Superdraft|date=January 21, 2021|work=Toronto FC}} He signed with their second team, Toronto FC II of USL League One, on May 5, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2021/05/05/toronto-fc-ii-sign-talen-maples|title=Toronto FC II Sign Talen Maples|date=May 5, 2021|work=Toronto FC}} He made his debut for Toronto FC II on May 22, 2021, against North Texas SC.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2021/05/22/north-texas-sc-falls-2-1-away-toronto-fc-ii|title=North Texas SC Falls 2–1 Away to Toronto FC II|date=May 22, 2021|work=FC Dallas}} He scored his first goal on October 1 against North Carolina FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1186296|title=Match Report: Toronto Earns Second-Half Breakthrough, Downs North Carolina|date=October 1, 2021|work=USL League One}} He attended the first team's 2022 training camp.{{cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-announce-roster-for-preseason-camp|title=Toronto FC Announce Roster for Preseason Camp|date=January 27, 2022|work=Toronto FC}}
In February 2022, he signed with MLS Next Pro club Houston Dynamo 2.{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/news/houston-dynamo-2-sign-six-players-to-mls-next-pro-contracts|title=Houston Dynamo 2 sign six players to MLS Next Pro contracts|date=February 19, 2022|work=Houston Dynamo FC}} Serving as team captain, he helped Dynamo 2 to record ten clean sheets and finish the season tied for the fewest goals conceded in the league and was named to the MLS Next Pro Best XI at the end of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dynamotheory.com/2022/9/23/23368629/houston-dynamo-2-defender-talen-maples-named-to-mls-next-pro-best-xi|title=Dynamo 2 defender Talen Maples named to MLS NEXT Pro Best XI|date=September 23, 2022|work=Dynamo Theory}}
In February 2024, Maples signed with New Mexico United in the USL Championship.{{cite web|title=New Mexico United announces signing of Talen Maples|url=https://www.newmexicoutd.com/news/2024/02/14/new-mexico-united-announces-signing-of-talen-maples/|date=February 14, 2024|work=New Mexico United|first=Juan|last=Aguerrevere}} Following the 2024 season, Maples was named New Mexico United team MVP and Newcomer of the Year.{{Cite web |date= |title=Massive Debut Season for Talen |url=https://x.com/NewMexicoUTD/status/1860373535920726409 |website=x.com}}
Career statistics
{{updated|June 16th, 2025}}{{Soccerway|jon-talen-maples/498916}}
class=wikitable style="text-align: center;" |
rowspan=2 | Club
! rowspan=2 | Season ! colspan=3 | League ! colspan=2 | Playoffs ! colspan=2 | Domestic cup ! colspan=2 | Other ! colspan=2 | Total |
---|
Division
! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals |
rowspan=3 | Brazos Valley Cavalry
| 2018{{cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24325996?subseason=526967|title=Talen Maples 2018 Stats|work=USL League Two}} | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2 | — | colspan=2 | — | 10 | 0 |
2019{{cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/32154398?subseason=583580|title=Talen Maples 2019 Stats|work=USL League Two}}
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2 | — | 9 | 0 |
colspan="2" | Total
! 19 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 19 ! 0 |
Toronto FC II
| 2021 | 19 | 1 | colspan=2 | — | colspan=2 | — | colspan=2 | — | 19 | 1 |
rowspan=3 | Houston Dynamo 2
| 2022 | rowspan=2 | MLS Next Pro | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2 | — | colspan=2 | — | 22 | 3 |
2023
| 26 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2 | — | 29 | 4 |
colspan="2" | Total
! 48 ! 7 ! 1 ! 0 ! 2 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 51 ! 7 |
rowspan="2" | New Mexico United
| 2024 | rowspan="2" | USL Championship | 33 | 3 | 2 |0 | 3 | 1 | colspan=2 | — | 38 | 4 |
2025
|12 |2 | colspan="2" |— |1 |0 |2 |1 |15 |3 |
colspan="3" | Career total
! 131 ! 12 ! 3 ! 0 ! 6 ! 1 ! 2 ! 1 ! 142 ! 14 |
{{notelist}}
Honors
Individual
- MLS Next Pro Best XI: 2022
References
{{reflist}}
{{New Mexico United squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maples, Talen}}
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:SMU Mustangs men's soccer players
Category:Toronto FC draft picks
Category:USL League Two players
Category:Twin City Toucans FC players
Category:Soccer players from Texas
Category:Toronto FC II players
Category:USL League One players
Category:Houston Dynamo 2 players