Tony Vitello Wins ABCA National Coach Of The Year Award After Winning Nationals

Tony Vitello, head coach of Tennessee baseball, has been selected National Coach of the Year by the America Baseball Coaches Association.

By Blesson Daniel

Published on Jun 27, 2024 | 04:16 PM IST | 16.5K

Tony Vitello [Credit-X]

In this Article

Tony Vitello took his team to an incredible victory
Danny White has high praises for Tony Vitello

Tennessee Volunteers Head Coach Tony Vitello was voted the American Baseball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year following the Vols' historic season, which included the program's first national championship.

Since taking over as head coach of the Volunteers in 2017, Vitello has set a new benchmark for greatness in Vol baseball. During his seven-year stint, Vitello has led the Vols to three College World Series visits in the previous four years.

Before Vitello's employment, Tennessee had only made four trips to Omaha. The Vols' recent triumph in the College World Series Championship is the first time a No. 1 overall seed has won the national title since the Miami Hurricanes in 1999.

Tony Vitello took his team to an incredible victory

Vitello led the Vols to 60 victories this season, the most by any SEC club in a single season. Tennessee also became only the fourth team in SEC history to win the SEC regular season, SEC Tournament, and College World Series all in the same season, the first since Vanderbilt in 2019.

Before being elected Coach of the Year this year, Vitello was recognized by the ABCA as one of the top coaches in the country three times. He was also voted Perfect Game's National Coach of the Year for 2022.

After Tennessee's 6-5 victory against Texas A&M in the College World Series Championship game, Vitello said, “Very surreal. Hard to center yourself, which is a good thing, being lost in the moment, I guess. Nothing too intelligent to say other than the first thing to say is I hope the fans that have turned this into an insane party, insane event, got the series that they wanted and that they deserved."

Danny White has high praises for Tony Vitello

On Monday, White and a big section of the Tennessee administrative staff moved past the enthusiastic throng on the field at Charles Schwab Field. It was White's first national title as Tennessee's athletic director since his hiring in January 2021. He praised Vitello in the early stages of the celebration.

“There’s no shortcuts,” White said. He continued, “He has grinded and built it the right way. That is why it is sustained. We have been in this town now three times in the last four years. You don’t do that by accident. That is not a blip on the radar screen.”

Baseball has led a successful athletic department in recent years. The Vols have won the SEC all-sports championships three years in a row, with four SEC crowns. UT is one of just two Power Five schools to have every sport qualify for the postseason in 2023-24. Vitello and his gang received the most significant title of all.

"You talk about building the best athletic department in the country, that means national championships,“ White said. He added, “Baseball has propelled us to do that. So excited for this team. They worked so hard. It has been an awesome, awesome season and ride. Fun to see them accomplish their ultimate goal.”

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