On Wednesday, Tennessee baseball lost head coach Tony Vitello to the San Francisco Giants in the MLB. Later that day, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman posted her reaction on X.
“Tony has built an incredible baseball program at Tennessee,” Plowman wrote. “He’s had unprecedented success in a short time with focus on teamwork and player development. I will never forget the night our baseball team brought home its first national championship.
“As a fan and lover of baseball, I am grateful for the energy and excitement Tony has created, and the way the baseball program has brought people together. We will continue to build on this strong foundation. I wish Tony all the best in San Francisco.”
As a fan and lover of baseball, I am grateful for the energy and excitement Tony has created, and the way the baseball program has brought people together. We will continue to build on this strong foundation. I wish Tony all the best in San Francisco. 2/2
— Donde Plowman (@DondePlowman) October 22, 2025
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Vitello leaves Tennessee amidst fall practice and ahead of his ninth season as head coach. The 47-year-old head coach arrived in Knoxville in 2017 and completely rejuvenated a Vols program that lacked recent success. Tennessee returned to the NCAA Tournament in his second year as head coach and to the College World Series in his fourth year.
In Vitello’s eight seasons as head coach, he turned UT into one of the best programs in the country. Tennessee won two SEC Regular-Season and SEC Tournament championships, made the super regionals five times, made the College World Series three times and won the 2024 National Championship — the first in program history under his watch. Vitello ends his stint at Tennessee with a 341-131 record.
According to Tennessee, Plowman’s role as chancellor of UT includes ‘oversight of Tennessee Athletics, an operation exceeding $230 million, to which she has provided decisive and timely leadership.’
She was also picked by her peers in the SEC to represent the conference as a member of the NCAA Presidential Forum in 2020. In 2023, Plowman was elected vice president of the SEC Executive Committee, where she currently serves as president.
