Ronnie Stanley is not the most famous Notre Dame football player of Polynesian ethnicity — at least not yet.

The offensive lineman of Tongan ancestry toiled in relative anonymity for the Fighting Irish compared to linebacker Manti Te’o, who was second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2012.

Stanley played in two games as a true freshman that season, which ended with Notre Dame playing Alabama in the national championship game.

Today, he is the leader of one of the best offensive lines in the nation, and Tuesday, Stanley was announced as the winner of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award.

He was the cornerstone of an offensive line that led the way to 215.7 rushing yards per game and 5.76 rushing yards per carry this season. The 10-2 Fighting Irish play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Stanley was picked from a group of finalists that included defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (Punahou, Oregon), linebacker Su’a Cravens (USC), kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn (Punahou, UCLA) and wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster (USC).

“I’m really going to cherish this award forever and I’ll see you guys in January,” Stanley said via a video hookup at the Hawaii Convention Center.

He was referring to the formal presentation of the award Jan. 29 at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame’s celebration dinner, also at the convention center.

Heisman winner Marcus Mariota was the first Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, in 2014.

Charles Ane, Rockne Freitas, Al Lolotai, Troy Polamalu and Vai Sikahema will be this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.

Also, the PFHOF will name a current star as Pro Football Polynesian Player of the Year for the first time. Finalists will be announced Dec. 29 and the winner on Jan. 5.

Go to www.polynesianfootballhof.org for more information.