Arkansas Tech’s Matt Johnson is among eight finalists from across America for the 2011 Tino Martinez Award, which is presented annually to the best baseball player in NCAA Division II.
Johnson (photographed), a senior center fielder from Grand Saline, Texas, finished the 2011 season with a batting average of .454, nine home runs and 50 runs batted in.
He leads all of NCAA Division II this season in base hits (99) and runs scored (79). He established new single-season Arkansas Tech records in those categories, as well as in total bases (156) and stolen bases (37).
A two-year letterman at Arkansas Tech, Johnson closed his career on a 34-game hitting streak. It is the longest such streak in Tech history and the third-longest in Gulf South Conference history.
His play helped the Wonder Boys finish with an overall record of 32-19 and reach the final day of the 2011 GSC Tournament, Tech’s best showing in that event in a decade.
Johnson was named 2011 GSC West Division player of the year. He was the first Arkansas Tech baseball player to ever receive that award, and he is the first Wonder Boy to be a finalist for NCAA Division II national baseball player of the year honors.
The award is named for former New York Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez, who played his college baseball at NCAA Division II University of Tampa.
Part of the voting for the Tino Martinez Award consists of online votes cast by fans.
Click here to vote for the 2011 Tino Martinez Award.
The winner will be announced on June 6.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech baseball.
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