Tennessee Vols morning report: Postseason awards in spring sports
Sporting events are in the books for the Tennessee Vols’ 2021-2022 academic school year, but the production by players during the spring of that time is still generating news. Plenty of them continue to earn postseason recognition for their efforts.
Our morning update on Rocky Top leads with more of that recognition, and it has a particular focus on the baseball diamond. Despite a heartbreaking exit from the NCAA Super Regionals, the baseball team continues to rack up awards for the successful regular season it had.
Beyond baseball, though, success in the classroom also warranted recognition for two athletes, which we will cover. Then we’ll close out with news surrounding next year’s schedule with the men’s tennis program, so there’s plenty to cover. Let’s start with baseball awards.
ABCA/Rawlings All-Region teams include seven Vols – ABCA.org
The Tennessee Vols baseball team set a school record for the number of players on the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Southeast All-Region team. Trey Lipscomb, Jorel Ortega, Drew Gilbert, Chase Dollander, Chase Burns and Drew Beam all earned First Team. Jordan Beck earned Second Team.
"ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team selections are nominated for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-America Teams will be announced the morning of Friday, June 17 prior to the start of the 2022 NCAA Div. I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska."
Perfect Game honors seven Vols plus Tony Vitello – PerfectGame.org
In addition to seven All-Region players, the Tennessee Vols baseball team had seven Perfect Game All-Americans. Chase Dollander was First Team. Jorel Ortega and Drew Gilbert earned Second Team. Trey Lipscomb earned Third Team. Drew Beam and Chase Burns were First Team All-Freshman. Blake Burke was Second Team All-Freshman. Tony Vitello was Coach of the Year.
"Quickly turning into the Alabama of college baseball, no team generated more polarizing opinions, or dominated opponents so thoroughly at times, than Tony Vitello’s Tennessee Volunteers. They were upset by Notre Dame in the Super Regionals but the Vols turned in one of the most dominant performance in recent history, ascending to No. 1 in the country and never looking back the rest of the season."
Two Vols earn Academic All-America – AcademicAllAmerica.com
Tenika McGiffin of the Tennessee Lady Vols tennis team and Kara Holt of the Tennessee Lady Vols swimming and diving team earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors for 2021-2022. Both were Third Team.
"Twenty-two of the 48 members of the Academic All-America® Division I women’s at-large teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 15 members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.98, with the entire women’s team holding a collective average GPA of 3.92."
Men’s tennis to host ITA Kickoff Weekend – UTSports
In 2023, the Tennessee Vols men’s tennis team will be one of the 15 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend hosts. They will be doing it for a second straight year.
"Joining the Vols in Knoxville is No. 34 Oklahoma, No. 48 Charlotte and No. 61 Louisiana. The field was decided via the ITA Men’s Kickoff Weekend Draft, with teams from around the country receiving the opportunity to choose which host site they would prefer to play at."