TUCSON, Ariz. -- Ohio's Rudy Rott, Western Michigan's Connor Smith, NIU's William Anderson & Miami's Cole Gnetz were named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team Wednesday morning by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Smith was named the MAC Freshman Player of the Year and was named All-MAC Second Team. Smith is the first position player in 18 years to be named Freshman of the Year since Ryan Kochen did so in 1998. Pitchers Brian Stroud (2008) and Ethan Hollingsworth (2006) won MAC Freshman of the Year before the conference split the award so a pitcher and a position player win the award.