Has Tennessee ever won a College World Series game? Exploring the Volunteers' CWS History

As the 2024 super regionals approach, the spotlight has become even brighter on the Tennessee Volunteers, the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. So far, the Vols have torn through their conference and the postseason, sharing the Southeastern Conference regular-season title with rival Kentucky, winning the SEC Tournament and sweeping the Knoxville Regional last weekend.

Coach Tony Vitello has built the Tennessee baseball program into a formidable force over the last few seasons, as he tries to lead his team to its third College World Series in the last four seasons. After finishing seventh in 2021 and fifth last season, the Volunteers will look to take that next step and finally win their first national championship in Omaha this season.

Tennessee's History in the CWS

Tennessee has a 9-11 record in six CWS appearances. The best finish UT has had was in its first CWS in 1951, when it was runner-up to Oklahoma.

After that runner-up showing, it took the Volunteers 44 years to get back to Omaha, finally reappearing on college baseball's biggest stage in 1995. Under the most legendary coach in the team's history, Rod Delmonico, Tennessee also clinched College World Series appearances in 2001 and 2005. The Vols finished fourth in 1995, third in 2001 and eighth in 2005 under Delmonico.

Vitiello, Tennessee's coach since 2018, is on his way to matching Delmonico's tenure, as he has led the Vols to three berths. A fourth berth looks likely, but they must first get past Evansville, a Cinderella No.4 seed that surprisingly won the Greenville Regional last weekend.

The Volunteers Still Look Like the Team to Beat

Led by pitcher AJ Causey and catcher Cal Stark, the Volunteers are a deep team that finished No. 1 in the nation for a reason. They led the nation in home runs with 159, and their pitching is filled with arms that can put away their opponents.

They haven't lost since the first round of the SEC Tournament against in-state rival Vanderbilt, displaying a dominant run that ended with a win over 2023 national champion LSU in the championship game. They followed that up with a sweep during the Knoxville Regional to clinch a spot in this weekend's Knoxville Super Regional.

Once again, Tennessee will be defending its home field. Although it's not impossible to win a series on the road, the odds are stacked against Evansville.