Tennessee baseball is No. 2 seed in Chapel Hill Regional for NCAA Tournament
The University of Tennessee baseball team, seeded No. 2 in the Chapel Hill Regional of the NCAA Tournament, will face East Carolina in its opening game on May 29, hosted by North Carolina. This marks Tennessee’s first season under coach Josh Elander, who set a record for most wins by a first-year head coach in program history with 38 victories.
The University of Tennessee baseball team has been named the No. 2 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional of the NCAA Tournament, set to begin May 29. The Vols (38-20) will open against No. 3 seed East Carolina (36-22-1) at noon ET on ESPNU, followed by a matchup between No. 1 seed North Carolina (45-11-1) and No. 4 seed VCU (37-23) at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. The regional will take place at North Carolina’s home field, with winners advancing to a super regional for a spot in the College World Series. This is Tennessee’s seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance, though it marks the second time in six seasons they are not hosting a regional. The team is led by first-year head coach Josh Elander, who previously served as an assistant under Tony Vitello. Elander’s 38 wins broke the previous record for most wins by a first-year coach in Tennessee history, surpassing Vitello’s 29 wins during his debut season. The Chapel Hill Regional is paired with the College Station Regional, hosted by No. 12 seed Texas A&M (39-14), where Southern Cal (43-15) is the No. 2 seed. The regional tournaments run from May 29 to June 1, with super regional matchups scheduled for June 5-8. The College World Series begins June 12 in Omaha, Nebraska, culminating in finals on June 20-22. Under Vitello, Tennessee became a consistent NCAA Tournament powerhouse, reaching super regionals in five straight seasons and winning the national championship in 2024. Last season, the Vols won the Knoxville Regional before losing to Arkansas in the super regional. Elander’s team is now aiming to replicate that success, with a regional final appearance potentially securing Tennessee’s seventh straight season with at least 40 wins. The regional schedule includes a single-elimination format with potential games extending into Monday if necessary. Game 1 will feature Tennessee vs. East Carolina at noon ET on ESPNU, while Game 2 pits North Carolina against VCU at 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Subsequent games will follow a standard bracket structure, with the final game on Monday if required.
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