FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern’s Andrew Durden (Sr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) has been named a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award, an honor bestowed onto the top NCAA Division-II baseball player in the nation.

Durden, a transfer from Florida State, is currently leading the team in almost every offensive category. Durden holds a .370 batting average, a .724 slugging percentage and a .442 on-base percentage. He leads the team with both 52 runs scored and 42 RBI. Durden has stolen 12 bases in 14 attempts and has even pitched three innings.

With the Sharks’ season still in the hands of the regional committee, Durden is hoping to chase program history. Durden has 22 doubles and 14 home runs on the season, which is two doubles and three home runs away from the single-season records. Guillermo Munoz hit 24 doubles in 1991 and has held the NSU record for 20 years. Former All-American Bryan Cook hit a school-record 17 home runs in 2008.

The 46semi-finalists represent 41 different schools from across the nation. Each of the eight geographic regions are represented, with a minimum of five players selected from each area. Five players comprise the semi-finalists from the Atlantic, Central, East and West Regions, six student-athletes make up the list from the Midwest, and six players have been included from the South, South Central and Southeast.

Initial nominations for the award were made by baseball sports information contacts and media members. A panel of media, coaches and sports information officers will be polled to finalize the candidates. The group will once again vote on the finalists, with a fan Internet vote also contributing to the crowning of the winner.

The finalists are scheduled to be named on Thursday, May 19th. The winner will be announced after the conclusion of the DII Baseball Championship held in Cary, N.C. from May 28th to June 4th.