Josh Elander. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Danny White’s search for Tennessee baseball’s new head coach lasted just 72 hours. White decided the best choice to replace Tony Vitello was the one already in-house, naming Vitello’s top assistant Josh Elander as the program’s 26th head coach.

Elander came with Vitello to Tennessee in 2017 and played a major role in Tennessee becoming one of the SEC’s powerhouse programs. An ace recruiter, Elander has run the Vols’ offense over the last eight years as Tennessee smashed program and SEC numbers.

Tennessee is holding a press conference Monday morning to announce Elander as the program’s newest head coach. But Elander and White released joint statements Saturday to announce the news:

“From the outset of this national search, Josh emerged as the undeniable top choice,” White said in the statement. “His relentless commitment has helped transform Tennessee baseball into a powerhouse, and we are proud to have him as our next head coach on Rocky Top. His influence inspires excellence in every aspect of our program and we look forward to continuing our quest for championships on the diamond under Josh’s guidance!”

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“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity here on Rocky Top,” Elander said in the statement. “I’m really happy for our players to continue building on what we’ve already built here. The hunt continues, and we’re still excited. Love this place and these people. So thankful for the best that’s yet to come.”

The phrase “on the hunt” has been one of the slogans of Tennessee baseball’s program. It represents a mindset that Vol coaches wanted the program to have. They wanted Tennessee’s players to do everything with aggression and passion.

Tennessee players and coaches frequently wear “on the hunt” shirts during scrimmages. As Elander noted, the hunt continues. Now with a new lead man.

The most pressing question for Elander and Tennessee is about which assistant coaches will stay in Knoxville with the Vols’ new head coach. Veteran pitching coach Frank Anderson is one of the very best pitching coaches in the entire country and has been with Vitello and Elander at Tennessee since 2018.

No one can be Tony Vitello at Tennessee. But Josh Elander has been with Vitello helping build Tennessee’s program into one of the sport’s best.