Tennessee's Tony Vitello Earns National Coach Of The Year Honors

by Staff Reporter

June 18, 20217 Comments

Saul Young/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello was named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Mike Martin National Coach of the Year this week.

He was also named Coach of the Year by Perfect Game. Per UTSports.com:

quote:
Vitello becomes just the second head coach in program history to earn National Coach of the Year honors, joining legendary Vols' skipper Rod Delmonico, who was named National Coach of the Year by Baseball America in 1995. Delmonico led Tennessee to three of its previous four trips to the College World Series (1995, 2001, 2005) and is the program's career leader in wins with 699 during his time on Rocky Top.

Vitello was also named National Coach of the Year by Perfect Game on Friday, making him the first coach in program history to earn coach of the year honors from two separate organizations.

With an 11-6 win over Georgia on March 19, Vitello became the fastest head coach in program history to win 100 career games with the Vols, overtaking Delmonico's mark of 163 games. Vitello needed just 153 contests to accomplish the feat.

Vitello has guided Tennessee to one of its best seasons in program history, leading the Big Orange to a 50-16 record and their first College World Series appearance since 2005. The Vols' 50 wins are the most in a season since a program-record 54 victories in 1995.