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May 16, 2000
AUBURN- Auburn junior first baseman Todd Faulkner and sophomore outfielder Gabe Gross are among 12 semifinalists for the 2000 Rotary Smith Award. Now in its 13th year, the Rotary Smith Award is presented each summer to the nation's top college baseball player. Former Tiger standout Tim Hudson won the Smith Award in 1997.
Faulkner and Gross have each posted two of the best statistical seasons by Auburn baseball players in school history. A Powder Springs, Ga., native, Faulkner, is hitting at a .419 clip with a school record 26 doubles, 22 home runs and 95 runs batted in. His 95 RBI currently lead the nation in the category.
Faulkner broke the Auburn single-season record with his 22nd home run on Sunday against Mississippi State, breaking Josh Etheredge (1998) and Frank Thomas' (1987) previous mark of 21. He is also tied with Gross for the single-season doubles record with 26.
A Dothan, Ala., native, Gross leads Auburn with a .427 batting average with 26 doubles, 12 home runs, 79 runs batted in and a .532 on-base percentage. Gross leads the Southeastern Conference in batting average.
Media Relations Directors from around the country will cut the list from the 12 semifinalists to three finalists in the next stage of balloting within the next month. The final voting stage, to pick the 2000 winner, will end following the conclusion of this year's College World Series, June 9-17. The winner will be named at a dinner at the Doubletree-Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas, the evening of Monday, June 19.
The Award, a national project of the Rotary Club of Houston, raises money for Rotary national charities, Texas Children's Hospital and the Karl Young League.
Auburn will travel to Hoover, Ala., for the 2000 Southeastern Conference Tournament, May 17-21, at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The fifth seed, Auburn (40-16) will play fourth-seeded Florida (38-20-1) on Wednesday, May 17, at 5 p.m. CT.
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