Photo via Oregon Athletics

Tennessee baseball is in search of a new head coach after Tony Vitello left his perch atop the Volunteer program Wednesday to become the new manager of the San Fransisco Giants.

Director of Athletics Danny White is now tasked with finding the successor for the best coach in program history. White announced that pitching coach Frank Anderson is the interim head coach and that associate head coach Josh Elander will be a candidate for the job.

Here’s a look at a number of candidates that White could target as Tennessee’s new head coach.

More From RTI: Everything Danny White Said About Tony Vitello Leaving Tennessee, Search For New Head Coach
Josh Elander, Tennessee Associate Head Coach

Elander has spent the last eight years on Tony Vitello’s staff including the last three as the associate head coach. A key piece of Vitello’s success in Knoxville, Elander fits the mold as his predecessor.

On the surface, Elander matches the mold of coaches White has hired in the past. He’s 34-years old, an elite recruiter and has been in charge of Tennessee’s highly successful offense over the last eight years. The current team would also rally around Elander while Tennessee could keep the bulk of its current staff and recruiting class together.

Mark Wasikowski, Oregon Head Coach

Wasikowski has spent the last six years as Oregon’s head coach, taking over before the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. He’s been successful in that capacity, leading Oregon to the NCAA Tournament all five seasons as head coach including super regional appearances in 2023 and 2024. Oregon won the Big 10 in its first year in the conference.

Prior to his time at Oregon, Wasikowski spent three years as the head coach at Purdue taking the Boilermakers to the NCAA Tournament once. Wasikowsky is a California native who played his college baseball at Pepperdine. He spent three years as an assistant coach at Florida but has spent most of his career on the west coast— which would be a knock against his candidacy.

Cliff Godwin, East Carolina Head Coach

Godwin has built one of the nation’s best mid major programs at East Carolina. In his 11 years as head coach, East Carolina has made the NCAA Tournament nine times including four trips to the super regionals. Widely viewed as a national program, East Carolina has been unable to get over the hump and make it to the College World Series.

But under Godwin, ECU has been a model of consistency and has won the American Championship five of the last six seasons.

The 47-year old played his college baseball at ECU and a number of schools have tried to pry him way in the past. It would be a tough task to land Godwin, especially at this time in the year.

Kevin Schnall, Coastal Carolina Head Coach

Schnall’s debut season as a head coach was a smashing success with the 48-year old leading Coastal Carolina all the way to the College World Series finals before falling to LSU.

Schnall played his college baseball for the Chanticleers and spent 21 total years as an assistant coach in Conway before becoming head coach— though that run was broken up with a stint as an assistant coach at UCF.

Like Godwin, it could be tough for Tennessee to pull Schnall away from his alma mater. He also agreed to a contract extension with Coastal Carolina just a week and a half away.

Dan Fitzgerald, Kansas Head Coach

Fitzgerald has spent just three seasons as Kansas’ head coach but has earned a reputation as a strong recruiter. The Jayhawks broke into the NCAA Tournament last season before falling in the Fayetteville Regional.

Prior to his time in Lawrence, Fitzgerald spent one year as an assistant coach at LSU and eight years as an assistant coach at Dallas Baptist. He also served as the head coach as Des Moines Area Community College, leading DMACC to the Junior College World Series four times in five years.

Rob Vaughn, Alabama Head Coach

Vaughn has spent the last two seasons as Alabama’s head coach after leading the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide had made the NCAA Tournament just twice in the 10 years prior to his departure.

Before his time at Alabama, Vaughn spent six years as the head coach at Maryland where he led the Terrapins to the NCAA Tournament in his final three seasons. Moving in conference is not a common occurrence, but Tennessee is certainly more committed to its baseball program than Alabama is.

Dan Skirka, Murray State Head Coach

Murray State was the darling of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, going all the way from four-seed to the College World Series in a miracle run.

Skirka has been the head coach at Murray State for seven years with just one NCAA Tournament appearance. However, Murray State finished second in the regular season standings, first in the OVC and then MVC, during Skirka’s tenure.

Prior to his time leading the Murray State program, Skirka was an assistant at Walters State Community College in East Tennessee. He’s a 40-year old and a Michigan native.

Kevin McMullan, Mississippi State Associate Head Coach

McMullan spent the last 23 years as an assistant coach at Virginia before following head coach Brian O’Connor to Mississippi State this offseason. The 57-year old man has twice won National Assistant Coach of the Year honors and helped turn Virginia into one of the nation’s top programs.

McMullan is a New Jersey native who is known for his recruiting prowess and leading the Cavs offense.