NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt sophomore RJ Austin has been named to the inaugural Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team as announced Monday by Phi Delta Theta in partnership with the Live Like Lou Foundation.
Since 1955, Phi Delta Theta has presented the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award to the Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the spirit and character of Lou Gehrig, both on and off the field. Created to memorialize beloved Phi Delta Theta member Lou Gehrig following his death from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), the award is housed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Through the growing impact of the award, Phi Delta Theta recognizes some of the best men in baseball while positively impacting the ALS community of its winners and finalists.
Now, to further Lou Gehrig’s legacy and his storied baseball career that began at the collegiate level at Columbia University, Phi Delta Theta, in partnership with the Live Like Lou Foundation, is proud to announce the inaugural Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team to annually recognize the giving character and community impact of collegiate baseball players.
Honorees were nominated by their schools, and the team was selected based on outstanding achievements in three key areas:
- Demonstrating a substantial commitment to their community through service and philanthropy.
- Embodying the generous spirit and character of Lou Gehrig.
- Making remarkable contributions to the success of their respective teams.
Austin, a native of Atlanta, is one of nine student-athletes to receive the recognition. Austin is coming off an impressive freshman campaign in 2023 that resulted in being named MVP at the 2023 SEC Tournament and a spot on the all-tournament team. In Friday’s 2024 season-opener, Austin got his sophomore year off to a great start with a 4-for-5 day at the plate with a three-run homer and four RBI.
Off the field, Austin has given back to the community in multiple ways including his work with Special Olympics Tennessee.
“RJ is a wonderful representation of what a baseball player looks like. He plays the game with tremendous passion and aggressiveness which aligns with everything that Lou Gehrig was,” said head coach Tim Corbin. “RJ‘s spirit goes well beyond the baseball field, as he is continually impacting young kids, older adults, and a special commitment to community service. His combination of human spirit, care, and competitiveness, make him a very special human being.”
For more information on the Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team, click here.
