OMAHA (AP) - Nebraska junior third baseman Alex Gordon won the Golden Spikes Award on Friday as college baseball's top player.
Gordon, the No. 2 pick in the major league draft by Kansas City, batted .372 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs in 72 games for the Cornhuskers.
Other finalists, all juniors, were Miami third baseman Ryan Braun, Southern California catcher Jeff Clement, Arizona outfielder Trevor Crowe and Tennessee pitcher Luke Hochevar.
The two-time first-team All-American and two-time Big 12 player of the year led Nebraska to the College World Series for the third time in five years. He ranked in the top 10 in the Big 12 in all 12 offensive categories.
Gordon went just 2-for-11 with two RBIs as the Huskers went 1-2 at the College World Series.
Gordon is Nebraska's first opening-round draft pick since Darin Erstad in 1995.
"What Alex Gordon did this year was what Darin Erstad did at the big league level his first year," Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said. "Darin has earned the reputation of being a hard-nosed team guy. That's what Alex Gordon did this year. He's developed a reputation for believing the team is more important than himself."
Last week, Gordon last week won the Xanthus-Dick Howser Trophy, presented by the National College Baseball Writers Association. He is a finalist for the College Baseball Foundation's Brooks Wallace Award, which will be presented Thursday in Lubbock, Texas.
Jered Weaver won the honor in 2004 while current Milwaukee second baseman Rickie Weeks won in 2003. Current Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior won it in 2001.
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