Watch: Tony Vitello receives a grand welcome during Tennessee's championship parade following first-ever CWS title run
Tony Vitello is living the life that college baseball coaches dream of. In his seventh season as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, he led them to their maiden College World Series title after the Vols narrowly beat the Texas A&M Aggies 6-5 in the championship game on Monday.
Hours after their famous victory in Omaha, the Volunteers faithful celebrated their incredible success in Tennessee. They gave Vitello and his talented youngsters a welcome worthy of heroes, symbolizing his immense efforts to turn the baseball program's fortunes around.
Watch a glimpse of the celebrations below:
Vitello and his team enjoyed a massive parade down Gay Street from the backseat of a 2024 Maserati Gran Cabrio, which cost approximately $205,000. Armed with a sharpie, he signed several autographs for Vols fans during the parade, celebrating the ultimate form of glory in college baseball with them.
Tennessee Volunteers' attendance record signifies Tony Vitello's impact
The head coach's impact on the University of Tennessee's baseball program cannot be understated and a part of this is seen in the attendance numbers. In his first game in February 2018, only 1,312 fans attended the game at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
This season, fans set an attendance record at the stadium, with 6,506 fans attending Game 2 of the Knoxville Super Regional between the Volunteers and Evansville Purple Aces. Although they lost that game, it would be their only loss en route to winning the title in Omaha.
Vitello came to Tennessee ahead of the 2018 season after serving the Arkansas Razorbacks as an assistant coach for four seasons. Prior to his arrival, the Volunteers were struggling under Dave Serrano, failing to make the postseason during his regime.
After struggling in his initial season, Vitello turned them into a lethal force in the SEC. This year, the Volunteers won every trophy they possibly could in a single season, cruising to the SEC regular season and SEC Tournament titles before going 5-1 in Omaha to win the College World Series for the first time in their history.
With key players like Christian Moore and Billy Amick likely to move up to the major leagues, Vitello will have a challenge on his hands to defend the national crown. However, he showed this season that he has the skill and credentials to ensure the Volunteers remain successful in college baseball.