Why Jim Schlossnagle of Texas A&M isn’t surprised by Tony Vitello’s success with Tennessee baseball
Vitello and his top-seeded Vols (58-12) will compete against Schlossnagle and the No. 3 seed Texas A&M (52-13) in the College World Series championship. The best-of-three series begins Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. This marks Tennessee’s first appearance in the CWS championship series since 1951.
Schlossnagle praised Vitello’s success, noting it’s about more than just “the baseball stuff.” He emphasized the importance of creating a great game environment and promoting the program, which he says is “what the best coaches do.”
Vitello took charge of a struggling Vols baseball program in 2017 and transformed it into a consistent title contender, securing College World Series berths in three of the past four seasons.
Schlossnagle also shared insights into Vitello’s coaching roots, having gotten to know his father, Greg Vitello.
“His dad’s just the greatest dude ever. Great high school coach,” Schlossnagle said. “I remember always welcoming Coach Vitello, the father, on our bus as we traveled throughout the year. It was great having him around. I love great high school coaches.”
