Tennessee baseball has secured a place within the top 10 of the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll.
Tennessee baseball has secured a spot as one of the top ten teams in the USA Today Coaches Poll, specifically claiming the 8th position in the Preseason Top-25 rankings unveiled on Tuesday.
The Coaches Poll, administered weekly throughout the regular season, involves a panel of 31 head coaches from Division I schools. Each coach submits their personal Top 25 list, with rankings weighted from 25 points for first place to one point for 25th.
Tony Vitello’s squad is among eight SEC teams in the rankings, making it the conference with the highest representation. Alongside Tennessee, notable SEC teams include LSU (No. 2), Florida (No. 3), Arkansas (No. 4), Vanderbilt (No. 6), Texas A&M (No. 10), Alabama (No. 17), and South Carolina (No. 21).
Wake Forest claims the top spot in the Coaches Poll, while TCU sits at No. 5 to round out the top five.
Tennessee kicks off its seventh year under Vitello’s leadership on Feb. 16 in Arlington, Texas, participating in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Their opening game is against Texas Tech, followed by matches against Oklahoma and Baylor.
The Vols’ home opener at the renovated Lindsey Nelson Stadium is scheduled for Feb. 20 against UNC Asheville, followed by games against East Tennessee State and Albany, marking their first home series of the season.
Coming off their recent Men’s College World Series appearance, Tennessee boasts a roster featuring 17 returning letterwinners from last season and has secured the nation’s fourth-ranked recruiting class according to Perfect Game. Additionally, the team has added notable transfers likeRyan AJ Causey from Jacksonville State, Cannon Peebles from NC State, Nate Snead from Wichita State, Galanie from Wofford, Billy Amick from Clemson, Dalton Bargo from Missouri, and Chris Stamos from Cal.
However, Galanie was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and signed with them, joining eight other Vols who were selected in the draft.
The team has seen 14 players enter the transfer portal, including notable departures like RHP Chase Burns, who later signed with Wake Forest.
As the college baseball season commences, predictions for the College World Series include a competitive field with Wake Forest emerging as the preseason favorite, though several teams could contend for the national championship.
