Tony Vitello Wins SEC Coach of the Year

Vols Baseball Head Coach Tony Vitello Wins SEC Coach of the Year

Jack Foster | May 23, 2022

Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello has been named the 2022 SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Volunteers to a 49-7 (25-5 SEC) record and regular-season SEC title, the SEC announced Monday afternoon.

Vitello is the first Tennessee baseball head coach to win the award since Rod Delmonico received the honors in the 1994 and 1995 seasons. This is the first time Vitello has won a postseason coach of the year award.

Vitello's recognition from his fellow coaches is well deserved, as he has led the Vols in a historic season not only for the program, but the SEC as well.

Forty-nine wins is the most in a regular season and seven losses is the least amount in program history, leading Tennessee to claim the unanimous No. 1 spot in all six major college baseball polls for nine weeks of the season and win the SEC for the first time in 27 years.

The 49 regular season wins is the most and the seven losses is the least in program history, marking just the second time Tennessee finished the regular season with single-digit losses.

Vitello will look to lead the Vols to a second consecutive College World Series and go deeper in Omaha, as Tennessee lost their only two games played in Omaha last year.

The first step in that process is doing well in Hoover, Alabama, in the SEC Tournament. The Vols' first game in the SEC Tournament will take place Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. CT against either Ole Miss or Vanderbilt.

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Published May 23, 2022

JACK FOSTER

Jack is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville majoring in Journalism/Electronic Media. Jack grew up in Paris, Tennessee, but now spends the majority of his time in Knoxville doubling as a student and sports journalist for Volunteer Country. Jack has been a sports junkie since he was a young kid and always watched NFL football with his dad on Sundays. Jack still follows the NFL religiously, as he is an avid fantasy football player. Jack started with Volunteer Country in May of 2021 and has since helped provide full coverage of football, baseball and men's and women's basketball. Jack also works as a recurring member of WUTK's Rock Solid Sports show on Wednesdays and Fridays, and he also serves as head sports producer of The Volunteer Channel's Vol News, a student-run show at the University. When Jack is not watching or covering sports, find him on the golf course or back home spending time with his parents, younger sister and friends. Follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram by clicking "Twitter" and "Instagram" to see all of his work with Volunteer Country as well as student media.