In Omaha, Tennessee secured its first national championship in baseball after a thrilling 6-5 victory over Texas A&M in the deciding third game of the College World Series finals on Monday night. Tony Vitello, the Vols’ seven-year head coach, is set to receive a six-figure bonus for leading them to the top. After Aaron Combs sealed the title with a strikeout, Vitello was spotted crowd surfing in the stands at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. He further cemented his legendary status among Tennessee fans by delivering the University’s first national title in 15 years. Despite his primary focus being on the trophy and the experiences he shared with his team, Vitello will also receive a $140,000 bonus for the championship win.
According to the terms of his contract, Vitello is entitled to 40% of his $385,000 base salary in the event of a national championship win. While his total compensation amounts to $1.5 million per year, his bonuses are calculated based on his base salary. In addition to the national championship, Tennessee’s sweep of the SEC regular-season and tournament titles this year means that Vitello can also earn bonuses if the team makes it to the College World Series and ultimately reaches the finals. However, he is only eligible for the highest level of achievement.
It’s no secret that the national championship is the most prestigious title to win.
Since his hiring in June 2017 by former athletic director John Currie, Vitello has transformed Tennessee baseball into a national powerhouse in the highly competitive SEC. Despite inheriting one of the weakest programs in the league, the former assistant coach at Missouri, TCU, and Arkansas has led the Vols to unprecedented success. This remarkable achievement has resulted in Tennessee providing him with millions in support, including the renovation of Lindsey Nelson Stadium. In recognition of his outstanding performance, he received a contract extension and a raise that boosted his salary from $600,000 to $1.5 million three years ago. Vitello’s exceptional leadership has undoubtedly propelled Tennessee baseball to new heights.
The 45-year-old could see an increase in their salary with a new contract on the horizon.
In 2018, Vitello led Tennessee to a 29-27 record in his first season as head coach. By his second season, the Vols were back in the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic cut short his third season, despite a stellar 15-2 start. However, in the three of the four seasons since, Tennessee has made it to the College World Series. In the one season they didn’t make it to Omaha, the Vols spent most of the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and swept both the SEC regular-season and conference titles.
The Vols had a memorable year in 2021, making their first College World Series appearance since 2005. Despite a disappointing loss in the Super Regional to the No. 1 overall seed in 2022, Vitello’s team showed resilience by winning a Regional at Clemson and a Super Regional at Southern Mississippi to secure their spot in Omaha. This season, Tennessee shared the SEC regular-season title with Kentucky and overcame an early loss to win the tournament championship, including a victory over defending national champion LSU in the final at Hoover just last month. The team swept their Regional and defeated Evansville in three games during the Super Regional to earn their return trip to Omaha.
Tennessee’s journey in Omaha was smooth as they dominated their bracket by securing victories over Florida State, where their first win was a remarkable comeback from being three runs down in the ninth inning, and North Carolina. The Vols advanced to the final series, which was a best-of-three, against SEC rival Texas A&M.
On Saturday, the Aggies secured a win to take the lead in the series. However, the Vols quickly responded and managed to even the series on Sunday, leading to a deciding game on Monday.
In the seventh inning, Tennessee added three more runs to their three-run lead, extending it to 6-1. This was made possible by an impressive two-run homer from Dylan Dreiling and a remarkable slide by Hunter Ensley to plate the sixth run. Although Texas A&M tried to chip away at the lead, Tennessee’s bullpen held strong. Kirby Connell, a veteran, struck out two batters in the eighth inning, while Combs recorded all three outs via strikeout in the ninth inning, leading to wild celebrations on the field.
In 2021, the Vols made history by becoming the first No. 1 seed to win the national title since Miami accomplished the feat in 1999. Their impressive 60-13 season culminated in them claiming the championship trophy. Prior to this, Tennessee had not won a national championship since their women’s indoor track & field title in 2009. As for the men’s team, their last national title was in indoor track & field back in 2002.
Tennessee’s head coach, Vitello, boasts an impressive record of 294-112.
