Chris Stanfield Named To SEC Baseball Community Service Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (May 14, 2025)—–In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, the Southeastern Conference has highlighted a Community Service Team for baseball for the 2025 season. The conference names a Community Service Team for each of its 22 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community through superior service efforts.

The 2025 SEC Baseball Community Service Team is as follows:

Chris Stanfield, LSU, Jr., OF, Tallahassee, Fla.
Chris Stanfield has been named one of nine finalists for the 2025 Tony Gwynn Trophy, honoring NCAA baseball student-athletes who exemplify the Gwynn legacy of philanthropy. The award recognizes 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. Over his three-year college career, Stanfield has been a fixture in the communities of Auburn and LSU. He launched his “Be The 1” campaign at LSU, where he donates $100 to the Miracle League in Baton Rouge for every game in which he produces an extra-base hit or stolen base. He is actively involved with the Miracle League in Baton Rouge, which gives children with any type of disability or special needs the opportunity to play baseball as part of a team. While at Auburn, Stanfield’s campaign raised $10,000 for the Miracle League of East Alabama, and he has donated his time and talents to the organization since he was in eighth grade in Tallahassee, Fla.

RJ Austin, Vanderbilt, Jr., UTL, Atlanta, Ga.
RJ Austin was named to the 2024 SEC Community Service Team and has provided community service work with youth camps, Special Olympics Tennessee and more. He is tied for most triples in SEC with four and leads the league with 21 stolen bases. Austin was named to 2024 Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team.

Colby Backus, Tennessee, Sr., OF, Johnson City, Tenn.
Colby Backus was recently tabbed as Tennessee’s male winner of the 2024-25 Brad Davis Community Service Award. An East Tennessee native, Backus displayed tremendous dedication to his community this past fall in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in northeast Tennessee. The redshirt senior outfielder from Johnson City joined several teammates and returned home to deliver donations of food, water and supplies to those in need. He also worked with the Morgan Wallen Foundation in the organization’s hurricane relief efforts, helping unload and sort donations. Backus has also been heavily involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Set to graduate in May with his degree in kinesiology, Backus plans to attend medical school with the ultimate goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Billy Barlow, Florida, Jr., RHP, North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
In just his first year as a Gator, Billy Barlow has quickly made an impact on the local Gainesville community. Across the fall and spring semesters, Barlow spent time working with the Ronald McDonald House, Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, Alachua Habitat for Humanity, Senior Center, Food 4 Kids Florida and more. His service to the community featured a team-high 26.76 registered hours this past academic year, while simultaneously serving as a key clubhouse leader on and off the field.

Evan Byers, Kentucky, Sr., LHP, Nicholasville, Ky.
Evan Byers is a 2025 Tony Gwynn Community Service Trophy Finalist and was named to the 2024 SEC Community Service Team. His contributions to the community include: reading to elementary schools, visiting with students at Heartland Christian Academy, work at Lexington Miracle League, cooking meals at fundraisers for Jessamine County Beef Cattleman’s Assoc., working service events for Jessamine County Animal Care & Control, speaking to local youth baseball associations, involvement with God’s Pantry, packing Christmas gift bags for community for Prasco Park in Cincinnati, a Sacred Selections worker (Organization that raises funds for adoption fees of children into Christian homes), participation in presenting a wish for Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping deliver teddy bears to Kentucky Children’s Hospital as part of UK Baseball’s Teddy Bear Drive (2023 & 2024), setting up events for Amachi Lexington, and served food and visited patients at American Cancer Society.

Easton Carmichael, Oklahoma, Jr., C, Prosper, Texas
2024 Academic All-American Easton Carmichael has made an impact off the field in his time at Oklahoma. The junior has spent hours volunteering with Norman’s local Meals on Wheels nonprofit, where he has delivered food to the elderly and those in need. Carmichal also has volunteered at the Oklahoma Humane Society where he has helped with rescue dogs and cats. Recently, Carmichael and his fellow catchers made an appearance at Whataburger in Norman to serve breakfast to educators for National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Bristol Carter, Auburn, So., OF, Oak Ridge, N.C.
Embracing Auburn’s mantra of ‘Make a Difference’ on and off the field, Bristol Carter has spearheaded a fundraising campaign benefitting the patients of Children’s of Alabama for the entirety of the 2025 season. In partnership with senior pitcher John Armstrong and with the support of other members of the team, Carter has led the efforts in establishing the Hits & Sits campaign through the BC5 Foundation. Supporters have been able to sponsor a game at their desired level of contribution and donate to the cause per hit and/or strikeout. Carter has also scheduled the group’s appearance at the Alabama vs. Mississippi state representatives softball game in April, helping fundraise for Children’s and getting the chance to meet the family of a patient. Additionally, he worked with local businesses and set up a benefit night at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in Auburn in May. All-in-all, Carter and teammates have helped raise approximately $5,000 throughout the season.

Alton Davis II, Georgia, Jr., LHP, Hueytown, Ala.
Alton Davis II is heavily involved with supporting the youth in his hometown of Hueytown, Ala. including supplying six Little League teams with goodie bags full of school and baseball supplies. He provided playground supplies for his former school, Hueytown Intermediate School, and Davis wears a blue and pink cleat in games to raise awareness for suicide prevention and breast cancer. He also has a contest for kids in Hueytown to make a design for his cleats that he will wear at the SEC Tournament and provide two kids with the winning design tickets to an SEC Tournament game.

Grant Cunningham, Texas A&M, Jr., RHP, Seattle, Wash.
Cunningham, a finalist for the Tony Gwynn Community Service Award, has been a stalwart in the community since coming to Aggieland. The junior serves as a member of the Texas A&M Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and helped push the AggiesCan initiative on the baseball program. He has also helped lead a PE class at Mary Branch Elementary, multiple youth baseball team’s practices in the area and has spoken with the A&M Consolidated High School baseball team about his faith journey. In addition, Cunningham has been involved with Team Impact and cancer survivor, Gabriel, spending time with him and his family at Texas A&M baseball events. The right-hander has also developed a visitation program at Baylor Scott & White for the team to visit with patients every Monday.

Justin Lebron, Alabama, So., SS, Miramar, Fla.
Justin Lebron has embraced his superstar role and his impact in the community by giving back to those in the state of Alabama. The sophomore has notably spent hours visiting ailing children at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham while also having spent time reading books to local elementary students in Tuscaloosa. Lebron has carried over his time in high school volunteering with the Miracle League into his collegiate career, maintaining a relationship with the organization and a commitment to service.

Xavier Lovett, Missouri, Gr., Houston, Texas
Xavier Lovett has been a leader in the Tigers’ community service efforts since his arrival on campus as a graduate transfer nearly two years ago. A native of Houston, Texas, Lovett has logged extensive volunteer service with Special Olympics, Mobility WorldWide, and Columbia Public Schools Alpha Hart Elementary, in addition to taking part in numerous on-campus service opportunities. Most notably, he has played an active role in Mizzou baseball’s involvement with Team IMPACT, a program that connects children facing serious illnesses or disabilities with college athletic programs. Lovett earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis in 2023, before completing his master’s degree in positive coaching from Mizzou this spring.

Jake McCoy, South Carolina, So., LHP, Fort Mill, S.C.
Jake McCoy has been involved in numerous community service projects around the Midlands. He helped with the team when the Screaming Eagles came to Founders Park to play a game in the fall. He helped with the Build-a-Bike for a Child project This past Christmas. He made a donation to the SAAC Drive this year and helped with Carolina baseball’s annual Ladies Clinic in February. McCoy’s been integral in the Purple Hearts Homes Strikeout for Veterans Campaign and has donated $23 (his number) for every strikeout while bringing awareness to Veteran housing needs.

Will McEntire, Arkansas, Sr., RHP, Bryant, Ark.
For the second season in a row, Razorback pitcher Will McEntire is donating $5 for every strikeout he records to cancer research. McEntire’s father, now in remission, was diagnosed with cancer when Will was a senior in high school. Off the field, McEntire has also worked with numerous non-profit organizations and community centers in Northwest Arkansas, including Squire Jehegan Outreach Center. He was also recognized as an SEC Community Service Team member in 2024.

Mason Nichols, Ole Miss, Sr., RHP, Jackson, Miss.
Mason Nichols has been very involved in the Oxford and Mississippi communities, spending his time with a multitude of different programs. He has participated in Reading with the Rebels, where he visited local elementary schools to read and engage with the children in their classrooms. He has also spent time working with Adopt-a-Basket where he assisted with the collection of items to make over 100 Thanksgiving holiday food baskets for the local community. Nichols has also been a part of Feed the Sip, a food sustainability project where volunteers assisted in the collection and donation of non-perishable food items that benefit elementary students within the Tunica and Quitman counties. He took part in A Night to Shine, a community-wide prom night event for members with disabilities put on by The Tim Tebow Foundation, and Hygiene Hijack where teams, coaches, and staff had the opportunity to collect hotel toiletry items that are then donated to the on-campus Violence Intervention and Prevention Services. During the Christmas holiday, Nichols led the baseball team’s participation in the CASA Christmas Program, providing foster children with Christmas gifts. He is also an active member of Ole Miss’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Evan Siary, Mississippi State, Jr., RHP, Columbus, Miss.
In addition to his role in Mississippi State’s weekend pitching rotation, Evan Siary is making an impact off the field in the Golden Triangle community as well. Siary worked with the Challenger Baseball League in his hometown of Columbus which provides an avenue for children with special needs to participate in baseball. He also volunteered his time raising donations to the Salvation Army as a bell ringer during the holidays. He also assisted at the TK Martin Center on MSU’s campus, which specializes in helping students and other individuals with disabilities in the community.

(Release via SEC)