Bryan Lippincott of Concordia-St. Paul named one of six national finalists for Tino Martinez Award/DII Player of the Year
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OMAHA - Concordia University senior Bryan Lippincott (Des Moines, Iowa) was chosen as one of six national finalists for the 2012 Tino Martinez Award for the top Division II college baseball player. The national ballot consists of a fan vote to help pick the award winner, fans can vote once every 12 hours, with the winner announced June 3.
Lippincott was voted a national finalist by a panel of national media, sports information directors and baseball coaches, narrowing down the exclusive list from 55 semifinalists. That same panel will join with the fan vote in making the final selection.
Lippincott is already the Central Region Player of the Year by the three major awards committees. He's a two-time Tino Martinez Award semifinalist, advancing to the finalist stage for the first time.
The Tino Martinez Award is in its third year, with Concordia producing a candidate in three-straight years, with Brenden Furrow being an intitial candidate in 2010.
The 2010 winner, Bryan Fogle of Erskine, won the honor after hitting .430 and leading Division II with 28 home runs and 103 RBI along with 203 total bases. Fogle was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays (32nd round) after the season. The 2010 national runner-up, pitcher Hayden Simpson of Southern Arkansas, was a first round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs.
In 2011, Chase Larsson of Cameron edged out Carter Capps of Mount Olive for the honor as he led Division II hitters with 29 home runs, 84 RBI, 190 total bases and a 1.000 slugging percentage. His .432 average ranked 11th in the country and he established a Division II record by hitting a home run in 9-straight games. A day after being named the Tino Martinez Award winner, Larsson was a ninth-round pick by the Atlana Braves.
Capps was the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Year and a compensation third round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Lippincott boasts lofty credentials that fall in line with the previous two award winners. He leads the nation in hitting and is in line for the national batting title, hitting .494. He's also second in the country in on base percentage at .594 and third in slugging at .864. His career features a 28-game hitting streak (as a junior) and a 6-game home run streak (as a sophomore). He won the Central Region triple-slash crown (avg/obp/slg) and also took the honor at the NSIC-level, earning Player of the Year honors along both stops.
The Tino Martinez Award has a strong pedigree with the winners and runners-up all being drafted. Lippincott's games at Barnes Field have featured numerous MLB scouts as well over the last two seasons, adding further steam to his candidacy.
The annual Tino Award is named after the former University of Tampa Spartan star, U.S. Olympian, first round pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez.
