Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello. Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tennessee baseball coach gets record money with new contract

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By R.P. Salao | Last updated Aug 23, 2024 10:22 PM ET

Tennessee has backed up the Brinks truck for their championship-winning baseball coach Tony Vitello.

After leading the Volunteers to a historic run toward a national title, Vitello was rewarded with a contract befitting his achievements.

Tennessee agreed to sign the 45-year-old coach to a five-year contract worth upwards of $15M. The deal instantly made Vitello the highest-paid NCAA baseball coach by a landslide.

The other incredible aspect of this new deal is that Tony Vitello will earn $3 million annually. He will be, by far, the highest paid coach in @NCAABaseball.

Well deserved. https://t.co/qYh6Qqj7Cr

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) August 23, 2024

In June, Tennessee beat Texas A&M 6-5 to score the school’s first College World Series title in program history.

Vitello led the Vols to a 50-11 regular season record — the only team to breach the 50-win plateau. They continued their dominance in the postseason with a 10-2 run, making them the first team since Wichita State in 1989 to tally 60 wins in one season.

Given the hero’s welcome Vitello received from Knoxville during Tennessee’s championship parade a few weeks ago, Volunteers supporters probably aren’t opposed to the coach’s new megadeal.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: