Tennessee baseball secured a position within the top five of the NCBWA’s Preseason Top 25 rankings.
Tennessee baseball has secured a spot in the top five of the NCBWA’s Preseason Top 30 rankings, landing at number five. This places them among the elite teams in college baseball according to the recent rankings released by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Notably, Tennessee is part of the formidable Southeastern Conference (SEC), with nine teams from the conference making it to the rankings, the highest representation from any conference. Alongside Tennessee, other SEC powerhouses such as LSU, Florida, and Arkansas also hold impressive rankings. Wake Forest claims the top spot in the preseason rankings, with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) having six teams represented.
The Vols, led by Tony Vitello, are gearing up for their seventh season, commencing on February 16 with the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. This event will see them facing off against Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Baylor. Following this, Tennessee will return home for their home opener at the renovated Lindsey Nelson Stadium against UNC Asheville on February 20, followed by games against East Tennessee State and Albany for their first home series of the season.
After making their mark in the Men’s College World Series, Tennessee enters the season with a strong core of 17 returning letterwinners. They’ve also bolstered their roster with new talent, including high-profile additions from both recruiting and the transfer portal, such as AJ Causey from Jacksonville State, Cannon Peebles from NC State, and Chris Stamos from Cal, among others.
Despite notable departures like Ryan Galanie, who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox, and others who entered the transfer portal, Tennessee remains poised for another strong season, backed by their experienced roster and incoming talent.
