University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana's Amedee Named To Tony Gwynn Starting Nine
5/8/2026 12:36:00 PM | Baseball
Senior first baseman second UL finalist for national award in two-year history
WACO, Texas – Louisiana's Lee Amedee was part of a nine-member finalist group announced for the second annual Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy, honoring NCAA baseball student-athletes who exemplify the Gwynn legacy. The Gwynn Trophy winner will be selected from these finalists, in a vote by NCBWA board members, select college baseball coaches and national media members.
The Gwynn Trophy, conceptualized for the 2025 season, is intended to honor collegiate baseball student-athletes who are active in their community and represent their programs with integrity, while exceling in the classroom and on the field.
Nominees were solicited this spring through college baseball publicists and the NCBWA membership.
The finalists include a decorated list of elite student-athletes, with Amedee joined by the winner of the award in 2025, LSU outfielder Chris Stanfield. The nine finalists represent six different conferences, including the ACC, Big 12, SEC, CUSA and the MAC. Included in the finalist list are Pitt outfielder Lorenzo Carrier, Mississippi State outfielder Bryce Chance, BYU reliever Ashton Johnson, Arkansas infielder Camden Kozeal, DBU infielder Chayton Krauss, Louisville outfielder Zion Rose and Toledo outfielder Troy Sudbrook.
Amedee, a senior from Gonzales, owns a 3.11 GPA as a business management major and is a two-time member of the Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll. He joins catcher Jose Torres – a 2025 finalist – as UL athletes on the final "Starting Nine" in the two-year history of the award.
Amedee has played in all 49 games with 48 starts during the 2026 season, batting .313 with 36 runs, 12 doubles, three triples, three homers and 36 RBI, stealing six bags. Amedee earned postseason honors in 2024 when he was named to the NCAA College Station Regional All-Tournament Team.
Over the past four years, Amedee has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours throughout the Acadiana community, serving in a wide range of outreach and service projects. He has volunteered as a coach with Lafayette Little League for four consecutive years and has worked with both Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church and Bayou Church on cleanup efforts and community service initiatives. Amedee has also spent four years visiting cancer patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Children's Hospital, including delivering Halloween snacks to children receiving treatment.
Amedee's community involvement has included volunteering at local fire stations, washing fire trucks and assisting with setup for the Broussard Community Fair benefiting St. Cecilia Catholic School. He has participated in the Tony Robichaux Prayer Breakfast fundraiser supporting construction efforts at Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church and has spent time reading and interacting with first-grade students at St. Cecilia. He also volunteered for four years at Lafayette's Downtown Alive events and has assisted new students during move-in day on the Louisiana campus each of the past four years.
In addition, Amedee has volunteered at youth baseball and special-needs clinics at Youngsville Sports Complex, helped organize clinics for underserved children in Church Point and participated in a 5K fundraiser raising awareness for Usher syndrome. His service work also includes assisting with exhibit relocation at the UL Dinosaur Museum, helping decorate Hospice of Acadiana for Christmas and participating in annual stadium cleanup projects, including pressure washing the baseball stadium. For the past two years, he has regularly attended youth soccer, softball and baseball events across the region in support of local athletes and families.
Gwynn was nationally recognized throughout his life for his unyielding commitment to philanthropy. He and his wife, 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, Tony 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, 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 his wife, 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.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
The Gwynn Trophy, conceptualized for the 2025 season, is intended to honor collegiate baseball student-athletes who are active in their community and represent their programs with integrity, while exceling in the classroom and on the field.
Nominees were solicited this spring through college baseball publicists and the NCBWA membership.
The finalists include a decorated list of elite student-athletes, with Amedee joined by the winner of the award in 2025, LSU outfielder Chris Stanfield. The nine finalists represent six different conferences, including the ACC, Big 12, SEC, CUSA and the MAC. Included in the finalist list are Pitt outfielder Lorenzo Carrier, Mississippi State outfielder Bryce Chance, BYU reliever Ashton Johnson, Arkansas infielder Camden Kozeal, DBU infielder Chayton Krauss, Louisville outfielder Zion Rose and Toledo outfielder Troy Sudbrook.
Amedee, a senior from Gonzales, owns a 3.11 GPA as a business management major and is a two-time member of the Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll. He joins catcher Jose Torres – a 2025 finalist – as UL athletes on the final "Starting Nine" in the two-year history of the award.
Amedee has played in all 49 games with 48 starts during the 2026 season, batting .313 with 36 runs, 12 doubles, three triples, three homers and 36 RBI, stealing six bags. Amedee earned postseason honors in 2024 when he was named to the NCAA College Station Regional All-Tournament Team.
Over the past four years, Amedee has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours throughout the Acadiana community, serving in a wide range of outreach and service projects. He has volunteered as a coach with Lafayette Little League for four consecutive years and has worked with both Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church and Bayou Church on cleanup efforts and community service initiatives. Amedee has also spent four years visiting cancer patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Children's Hospital, including delivering Halloween snacks to children receiving treatment.
Amedee's community involvement has included volunteering at local fire stations, washing fire trucks and assisting with setup for the Broussard Community Fair benefiting St. Cecilia Catholic School. He has participated in the Tony Robichaux Prayer Breakfast fundraiser supporting construction efforts at Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church and has spent time reading and interacting with first-grade students at St. Cecilia. He also volunteered for four years at Lafayette's Downtown Alive events and has assisted new students during move-in day on the Louisiana campus each of the past four years.
In addition, Amedee has volunteered at youth baseball and special-needs clinics at Youngsville Sports Complex, helped organize clinics for underserved children in Church Point and participated in a 5K fundraiser raising awareness for Usher syndrome. His service work also includes assisting with exhibit relocation at the UL Dinosaur Museum, helping decorate Hospice of Acadiana for Christmas and participating in annual stadium cleanup projects, including pressure washing the baseball stadium. For the past two years, he has regularly attended youth soccer, softball and baseball events across the region in support of local athletes and families.
Gwynn was nationally recognized throughout his life for his unyielding commitment to philanthropy. He and his wife, 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, Tony 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, 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 his wife, 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.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
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