With one beard – and a lot of victories – Tony Vitello won the hearts of Vols fans.

Now, Tennessee baseball rules the sport, for the first time ever. Tennessee's championship drought is over.

When the Vols beat Texas A&M 6-5 in Game 3 of the College World Series finals on June 24, it marked Tennessee's first national championship in any sport since its women's indoor track and field team won the crown in 2009. That's a 15-year span without a title. How long will Tennessee go before winning its next title? Not that long.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams revisit the baseball team's triumph in Omaha and debate which Tennessee team will be the next to win a national championship.

For this debate, the hosts consider four programs: football, men's and women's basketball and softball.

And the hosts agree that one program stands above the rest as being next in line.

With one beard – and a lot of victories – <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/columnists/university-of-tennessee/john-adams/2024/06/28/tony-vitello-tennessee-baseball-national-champions-mlb-draft/74240637007/">Tony Vitello</a> won the hearts of Vols fans.
Now, Tennessee baseball rules the sport, for the first time ever. Tennessee's championship drought is over.
When the <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2024/07/02/tennessee-baseball-greg-vitello-tony-vitello-dad/74223194007/">Vols beat Texas A&amp;M 6-5 in Game 3 of the College World Series finals</a> on June 24, it marked Tennessee's first national championship in any sport since its women's indoor track and field team won the crown in 2009. That's a 15-year span without a title. How long will Tennessee go before winning its next title? Not that long.
On today's episode, hosts <a href="https://x.com/btoppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://x.com/johnadamskns">John Adams</a> revisit the baseball team's triumph in Omaha and debate which Tennessee team will be the next to win a national championship.
For this debate, the hosts consider four programs: football, men's and women's basketball and softball.
And the hosts agree that one program stands above the rest as being next in line.

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer. The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessee.

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer. The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessee.

A Tennessee Vols podcast from the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee.

The Volunteer State

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer.

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