Tennessee baseball is beginning its hunt for a new head coach. Tony Vitello, who steered the Vols to their first national championship in program history, has taken the job with the San Francisco Giants in the MLB. In response, Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly posted her thoughts on X.
“Nothing but respect and gratitude for Tony as a friend and colleague,” Weekly wrote. “He has always been there to support @Vol_Softball and we will miss him. Congratulations Tony, we are very proud and happy for you!”
Nothing but respect and gratitude for Tony as a friend and colleague. He has always been there to support @Vol_Softball and we will miss him. Congratulations Tony, we are very proud and happy for you! https://t.co/TkN69weQNP
— Karen Weekly (@KarenWeekly) October 22, 2025
More From RTI: Everything Danny White Said About Tony Vitello Leaving Tennessee, Search For New Head Coach
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.
Weekly has 30 years of college head coaching experience, totalling 1,355 wins. 2026 will be her 25th season atop the Lady Vols’ program. She has led Tennessee to 20-straight NCAA Regional appearances. This has featured 14 Super Regional showings and nine times making the Women’s College World Series. This includes the recent 2025 campaign, where UT fell just short of reaching the championship series. While the Lady Vols don’t have a national title, they have finished as the runner-up twice.
In conference play, Weekly has led Tennessee to six SEC championships. This featured back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, it was parlayed into an SEC Tournament championship, as well.
Weekly began her Lady Vols career coaching alongside her husband, Ralph Weekly. After his retirement in 2021, she continued to lead the program by herself. In the past three seasons, she has won 142 games and advanced to the national semifinals at the WCWS in 2023 and 2025.
