OMAHA, Neb. (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has announced LSU outfielder Chris Stanfield as the inaugural winner of the Tony Gwynn Trophy, in a vote of NCBWA board members, collegiate baseball coaches and media members.
Stanfield, a junior outfielder for LSU who has helped spur the Tigers to the Men’s College World Series, was named the winner after balloting that featured three finalists, including Kansas infielder Michael Brooks and Northern Colorado catcher/outfielder Tony Castonguay.
“I am very humbled to win this award,” Stanfield said. “When I launched my first campaign, this award didn’t exist. We weren’t doing this for any recognition, it was just to better the community. I am very grateful for all the support for the ‘Be The 1’ campaign. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with the Miracle League and am hopeful that they’ve benefited from this. I am excited to see how they continue to rise and grow.
"I want to thank the NCBWA and the Gwynn Family for establishing this award. To have my name mentioned along with Tony Gwynn is truly an honor. I want to thank my parents, who have instilled service and giving back to me in my life. Community sercice has always been a piece of my life, going back to my time in Tallahassee with the Miracle League, because of their guidance. Baseball is just one part of my life and the opportunity to serve those in our community that need help and I am blessed to be in a position to serve.”
The Gwynn Trophy, conceptualized for the 2025 season, honors collegiate baseball student-athletes who are active in their community and represent their programs with integrity, while excelling in the classroom and on the field. The Gwynn Trophy was created to honor Tony’s legacy and the unyielding commitment to his community and the advancement of collegiate baseball. A 15-time MLB All-Star who won eight batting titles, hitting .338 over his 20-year MLB career, played collegiately at San Diego State before serving as the head coach of the Aztecs from 2003-14.
Nominees were solicited this spring through college baseball publicists and the NCBWA membership.
In his debut season in Baton Rouge, Stanfield hit a career-best .309 (59-for-191) over 63 games, with 52 runs scored, 15 doubles, two triples, one homer and 28 RBI, stealing five bases. He has hit .289 over his career, which began in 2023 at Auburn. Over his three-year career, he has played in 165 career games with 156 hits, 31 doubles, five triples, eight homers and 75 RBI, stealing 23 bases.
During that time, Stanfield has been a fixture in the Auburn and LSU communities. He launched his “Be The 1” Campaign at LSU, where he donates $100 to the Miracle League in Baton Rouge for every game he has an extra-base hit or stolen base. He is actively involved with the Miracle League in Baton Rouge. While at Auburn, his campaign raised $10,000 for the Miracle League of East Alabama, and he has been active in that organization since he was in eighth grade in Tallahassee, Florida. He also volunteers with local elementary schools.
“Chris believes that throughout his life, baseball has given him so much, so he continues to give back,” Bill Franques, Senior Associate Communications Director. “He believes he is playing for a special purpose and encourages others to join him in his philanthropic efforts.”
About the Gwynn Trophy
Gwynn was nationally recognized throughout his life for his unyielding commitment to philanthropy. He and Alicia, established the Tony Gwynn Foundation to help fund charities supporting children in need, including supporting the Casa de Amparo Child Abuse Shelter, the Neighborhood House, YMCA and the Police Athletic League. In 1995, Gwynn earned the Branch Rickey Award as the top community activist in MLB, and in 1999, he was named the Roberto Clemente Man of the Year. He was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, presented to the MLB player who best exemplified the character and leadership of the Hall of Fame first baseman.
The Gwynn family has maintained Tony’s commitment to the community, including coordinating the Tony Gwynn Community All-Star Program, which recognizes local youth who support the San Diego community.
Gwynn was a 15-time MLB All-Star, including won eight batting titles – the most in National League history – and finished his decorated, 20-year career with a .338 batting average. He played his entire career with the San Diego Padres, after playing collegiately at San Diego State, where he also played basketball. A 2007 Hall of Fame inductee, Gwynn saw the SDSU baseball facility named in his honor, Tony Gwynn Stadium, and served as the head coach of the Aztecs, from 2003-14, winning three Mountain West Conference Championships and earning 2014 MWC Coach of the Year honors. The Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament, held each February at Gwynn Stadium and featuring some of the top teams in the nation, has quickly become one of the best nonconference, early-season tournaments in the college baseball calendar.
Gwynn passed away in 2014 after a long bout with cancer. He is survived by Alicia, son Tony Jr. and daughter, Anisha Nicole. His brother Chris attended SDSU and played for the Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals. Tony Jr. also played collegiately at SDSU, earning all-league honors in 2003 before the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the second round. He played eight seasons in MLB, including time with the Brewers, Padres, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.
About the NCBWA
Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, ncbwa.com.