KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee will be the one seed in the college baseball NCAA Tournament. The announcement was made during the Selection Show on Monday. Tennessee will start the tournament against Alabama State at 6 p.m. Friday, June 3. You can watch the game on the SEC Network. Campbell and Georgia Tech are also in their Regional.
The Vols have never been the one seed before. Since the NCAA started awarding national seeds to teams in 1999, only one team has won the College World Series as the one seed. That would be Miami in 1999.
In the 21 other NCAA Tournaments where national seeds have been given, 13 one seeds have made it to the College World Series with Texas making the finals twice in that time, five have fallen in the Super Regional and three didn't make it out of the Regional.
On Sunday, it was announced that Tennessee would host a Regional site in the NCAA Tournament. They would also host a Super Regional if they advance out of the Regional since they are one of the top eight seeds.
The Vols are coming fresh off an SEC Tournament Championship on Sunday, which they won 8-5 over Florida. It was their first-ever championship in the current format but won in the older format in 1993, 1994, and 1995.
That followed up a season where the Vols claimed the SEC regular-season title outright too for the first time since 1995. They won it by six games, which is the largest margin in SEC history.
Tennessee went 53-7 in the regular season and winning was a habit. Their 53 wins are the most by any team entering the NCAA Tournament in SEC history.
They started SEC play 12-0, which set a conference record for the best start. At one point they won 23 games in a row.
For Vol fans like Mark Andrews, it's about more than just baseball.
"They give their hearts to the game and that's what counts," he said.
It's a big moment for Tennessee sports. For Andrews, it's about the people who play the game and their determination to keep baseball at the forefront of their lives.
"It's more than just being a fan. I mean there are a lot of good stories. Gilbert and everything that he went through, you know, growing up and a bunch of other guys too," Andrews said.
Winning isn't everything for loyal Vols fans, but Andres said it does feel pretty good to win.
"Maybe we will win it all," he said.
