Tony Vitello, the head baseball coach for the Volunteers, was placed on administrative leave on Friday by the University of Tennessee as university officials, Vitello, and the NCAA investigate an NCAA violation involving the baseball team.
The ban was handed out by the authorities only minutes before the Volunteers (3-2), who were rated as high as No. 3 in one major poll, kicked off a three-game series against Dayton. Josh Elander will now serve as the team’s interim head coach after the university said in a statement that Vitello has been replaced by Elander. An update will be provided on Monday.
The University of Tennessee noted in its statement that “Coach Vitello has admitted his error and accepted full responsibility.” “We are thankful for his cooperation throughout the process and his devotion to doing what is fair for the student-athletes in the Tennessee baseball program,”
The University of Tennessee stated that any more information could not be disclosed due to NCAA regulations. After transferring to Tennessee in June of last year, shortstop Maui Ahuna has not yet been given the green light to compete for the Volunteers.
At Kansas, where he played college baseball, Ahuna had a batting average of.396, eight home runs, and 48 runs batted in. The Volunteers entered the previous year’s NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed in the tournament but were eliminated by Notre Dame in the Super Regional.
During a dispute in a game against Alabama last season, Vitello gave umpire Jeffrey Macias a chest bump, which led to the NCAA handing down a four-game suspension against Vitello’s team. In order to collect money for the Wounded Soldiers Project, Vitello linked up with a fraternity and offered a chest bump in exchange for a gift of $2.