"No one was closer than this group": Tennessee coach Tony Vitello's victory speech while relishing the historic moment of his career

After clinching the school's first national title, Tennessee Volunteers coach Tony Vitello said his team was as close as a group that he had ever seen. The Volunteers clinched the 2024 College World Series on Monday night with a 6-5 win over Texas A&M.

Following the victory, Vitello was interviewed and asked about the win, and he heaped praise on his group. He said this was the closest group he'd ever been a part of, and that was a key reason for the Vols winning the national title.

"My mind is blown," Vitello said, "I'm obviously so happy for everybody involved, it's going to take a while to completely sink in, but it is a lot of years, a lot of years of trying different things, including being a player... These guys being teammates to each other is the definition of why it happened...

"They all made each other better, there are good players in there, the top five of our lineup is incredible. But no one was closer than this group that I've ever been around. I've seen my dad coach teams, I've been cheering for teams, there is not a team that I've been around that is more close than this one."

Although every coach says their team was close, Vitello truly believes that and considers it to be a key reason why Tennessee beat Texas A&M in the College World Series on Monday night.

Tony Vitello hugs his dad after Tennessee wins MCWS

Following the Tennessee Volunteers beating Texas A&M in the men's College World Series, Vols coach Tony Vitello hugged his dad after the victory.

It was a touching embrace between Tony Vitello and his dad Greg after the Tennessee Volunteers won their first men's College World Series.

After the hug, Vitello spoke about the moment and praised his dad for everything he had done for him.

“I felt like I was the dad and he was the kid because he wouldn’t stop crying,” Tony Vitello said on the field after the game, via On3. “I had to rub some dirt on him. He was way too tough on me when I was younger."

Tony Vitello has been the Volunteers coach since 2018 and has led the program to a 295-112 record. Vitello has led the program to the College World Series three times in his seven years but finally won the title in 2024.