Aubrey Named Rotary Smith Award Semifinalist
May 15, 2003 | Baseball
May 15, 2003
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Just one week after becoming the Green Wave's finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, Tulane University junior first baseman Michael Aubrey was named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2003 Rotary Smith Award given annually to the NCAA Division I college baseball player of the year.
Aubrey is joined on the list by fellow Louisiana collegian Rickie Weeks of Southern and fellow Conference USA standout Brad Sullivan of Houston. Other players on the Smith list are John Anderson of Eastern Kentucky, Bill Becher of New Mexico State, Jamie D'Antona and Kyle Sleeth of Wake Forest, Scott Lewis of Ohio State, Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend of Rice, Carlos Quintin of Stanford, and Tim Stauffer of Richmond.
A preseason All-American and the early choice for the C-USA Player of the Year, Aubrey has been phenomenal as a junior and ranks sixth in the NCAA with a .433 batting average and eighth in the nation with 1.38 RBI per game. He paces the Green Wave in batting average, hits (90), home runs (14), RBI (72), total bases (151), slugging percentage (.726), on-base percentage (.506) and sacrifice flies (tied with four) while ranking second in doubles (tied with 17), and walks (25) and third in runs scored (56) and stolen bases with a career-high 15.
Aubrey leads the team with 30 multiple-hit games, including a pair of four-hit performances, and also paces the squad with 22 multiple-RBI contests, including a five-RBI day against UL-Lafayette on March 5 when he belted two home runs at Turchin Stadium.
The native of Shreveport, La. earned Louisiana Player of the Week honors on Feb. 17 after hitting .600 with a home run, seven RBI and two stolen bases in three games, and claimed both C-USA and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Hitter of the Week recognition on March 24 after hitting .765 in four games with a 1.412 slugging percentage courtesy of two doubles and three home runs while driving in 10.
Now in its 16th year, the Rotary Smith Award honors college baseball's player of the year, as voted upon by college baseball publicists, former winners and coaches of those former winners. The list of 12 will be shortened to three finalists on June 5 and the award will be presented on June 26 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Houston, Texas.
The award pays tribute to Houston's original baseball ambassador, R.E. "Bob" Smith and his wife Vivian. It rewards the winner's character and leadership as well as his talent on the field of play. The award benefits the Rotary Charities, Texas Childen's Hospital and the Karl Young League.
