Chris Stanfield Joins 2026 Tony Gwynn Finalists
LSU senior outfielder Chris Stanfield is one of nine finalists for the 2026 Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy, keeping him in line for a prize he already won last season. The second annual award recognizes NCAA baseball student-athletes for community service, integrity, classroom performance and on-field play.
Stanfield and LSU
Stanfield’s case is built on more than one season of work. He was the recipient of the inaugural Gwynn Trophy last season, and the LSU outfielder has kept that profile in place through 2025-26 with a record that blends production and service.
At LSU, he launched his “Be The 1” Campaign and donates $100 to the Miracle League in Baton Rouge for every game with an extra-base hit or stolen base. He also has stayed active with the Miracle League since middle school in Tallahassee, Fla., while volunteering with local elementary schools and hospitals and taking part in the Out of Darkness Walk to support suicide prevention.
Gwynn Trophy field
The finalist list spans six different conferences, including the ACC, Big 12, SEC, CUSA and the MAC. The winner will be selected from those finalists by a vote of NCBWA board members, select college baseball coaches and national media members.
Stanfield’s recognition comes after two seasons at Auburn in 2023-24 and two seasons at LSU in 2025-26, giving him a resume that has now drawn repeat attention from the award’s voters. He was also named to the 2026 Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team by Phi Delta Theta and the Live Like Lou Foundation.
Tony Gwynn legacy
The trophy carries the name of Tony Gwynn, who died in 2014 after a long bout with cancer. Gwynn and his wife, Alicia, established the Tony Gwynn Foundation to help fund charities supporting children in need, including the Casa de Amparo Child Abuse Shelter, the Neighborhood House, YMCA and the Police Athletic League.
Gwynn was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, which fits the trophy’s focus on service and character as much as performance. LSU coach Jay Johnson said Stanfield fits that standard in full.
“He’s an 11 out of 10 human being; that would be my assessment of Chris” Johnson said. He added, “He’s obviously a great player, but he’s also one of those people in life that every time they walk into a room, you automatically smile because of the energy they bring, the positivity they bring, the attitude they bring, and that’s Chris Stanfield.”
Johnson also pointed to LSU’s community work and the way Stanfield leads it. “I feel like our team’s work with the Miracle League is our program at its best; with Chris leading the way, interacting with young people who don’t have the same privileges that our players do.” He said, “Our fans will remember the lead-off hits, they’ll remember the stolen bases, they’ll remember the diving plays in the outfield.”
For LSU, the finalist nod keeps Stanfield in the spotlight for the same mix that brought him the inaugural trophy: the field, the classroom and the work away from the ballpark. Johnson summed up the day-to-day value in one line: “There are very few bad days when Chris Stanfield is on your team.”
