Courtesy of SECsports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.? — LSU infielder Mike Fontenot was named 2000 SEC Freshman of the Year and University of South Carolina junior pitcher Kip Bouknight was selected 2000 Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed South Carolina skipper Ray Tanner as the SEC Coach of the Year.
LSU’s Brad Cresse was the only Tiger named to the 2000 All-SEC First or Second team as he was a unanimous selection to the first team.
Bouknight also leads a list of players named to the first and second-team All-SEC squads for this season.
The Gaston, S.C. native, led the SEC in wins with 15, nine of which came during conference play. Bouknight also led the league with a 2.66 ERA and batters struck out with 122.
Tanner directed the Gamecocks to the SEC Championship for the first time ever. The Gamecocks broke the SEC record for conference wins in a season with a 25-5 SEC record and a 50-6 overall mark. In the pre-season coaches’ poll, South Carolina was predicted to finish second in the Eastern Division after winning the 1999 Eastern Division title. Last season, South Carolina finished the season with a 35-23 overall and 15-15 conference mark. The Smithfield, N.C. native is in his fourth season at South Carolina with a school record of 162-71 (.695) and a career mark of 557-244-3 (.695).
Auburn first baseman Todd Faulkner, Georgia shortstop Jeff Keppinger, LSU catcher Brad Cresse and South Carolina pitcher Kip Bouknight were unanimous choices on the All-SEC First Team. Kentucky’s John Wilson, Auburn’s Mailon Kent and Tennessee’s Jamie Bennett were All-SEC Second-Team performers a year ago and made the second-team again in 2000.
Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes. The complete 2000 All-SEC Team follows:
| FIRST TEAM | CL. | HOMETOWN |
| *1B – Todd Faulkner, AU | Jr. | Powder Springs, Ga. |
| 2B – Chris Burke, UT | So. | Prospect, Ky. |
| 3B – Travis Chapman, MSU | Sr. | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| *SS – Jeff Keppinger, UGA | So. | Auburn, Ga. |
| *C – Brad Cresse, LSU | Sr. | Seal Beach, Calif. |
| OF – Gabe Gross, AU | So. | Dothan, Ala. |
| OF – Tim Olson, UF | Jr. | Bismarck, N.D |
| OF – Karl Nonemaker, V | So. | Flanders, N.J. |
| DH – Jason Dill, UF | Jr. | Punta Gorda, Fla. |
| *P – Kip Bouknight, USC | Jr. | Gaston, S.C. |
| P – Chris Bootcheck, AU | Jr. | LaPorte, Ind. |
| RP – Scott Barber, USC | Jr. | Belton, S.C. |
| SECOND TEAM | CL. | HOMETOWN |
| 1B – Kurt Keene, UG | Sr. | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2B – Sam Bozanich, UA | Jr. | Bakersfield, Calif. |
| 3B – Brent Boyd, UA | So. | Ft. Worth, Texas |
| SS – Drew Meyer, USC | Fr. | Charleston, S.C. |
| %C – John Wilson, UK | Jr. | Northridge, Calif. |
| OF – Shane Kelly, MSU | Sr. | Petal, Miss. |
| OF – Nate Janowicz, USC | Sr. | Atascadero, Calif. |
| %OF – Mailon Kent, AU | Jr. | Birmingham, Ala. |
| DH – Jeff Christensen, UT | Jr. | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| %P – Jamie Bennett, UT | Sr. | Gallatin, Tenn. |
| P – Peter Bauer, USC | Jr. | Silver Springs, Md. |
| RP – Colter Bean, AU | Sr. | Birmingham, Ala. |
| SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR | ||
| Kip Bouknight, South Carolina | ||
| SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR | ||
| Mike Fontenot, LSU | ||
| SEC COACH OF THE YEAR | ||
| Ray Tanner, South Carolina | ||
* – Unanimous selection (11 of 12 coaches’ votes) / % – 1999 All-SEC Second-Team Selection/ # Tie