OMAHA, Neb. – For just the second time in program history and the first time since 1951, the Tennessee baseball program will play for a national championship when it faces off against No. 3 national seed Texas A&M in an All-SEC championship series that begins Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
For the third time in the last four years, the Men's College World Series final will feature a pair of SEC teams. The league has claimed the last four MCWS titles, as well.
NCAA MEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES CENTRAL
For the most up-to-date schedule, gameday, stadium, ticket, fan and event information, visit the NCAA's official Men's College World Series page HERE.
The 2024 NCAA MCWS bracket can be foundHERE.
TICKET INFO
Ticket information for this weekend's championship series can be found HERE.
BROADCAST INFO
TV/Stream: ESPN (Sat. & Mon.) & ABC (Sun.)
Talent: Karl Ravech (PxP), Kyle Peterson (Analyst), Chris Burke (Analyst), Kris Budden (Field)
Radio: Vol Network (FM 99.1 / AM 990) | Tennessee Athletics App | UTSports.com | Varsity App
Talent: John Wilkerson
Various Vol Network radio affiliates around the state and other surrounding areas are slated to broadcast UT's MCWS games.
A complete list of affiliates planning to carry the broadcast can be found HERE. Please check your local listings as game coverage varies by station.
NCAA MEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES HISTORY
Appearances: 7 (Most Recent: 2024)
Overall Record: 12-11 (.522)
Best Finish: National Runner-Up (1951)
The Vols are playing in the championship series for the first time since the tournament adopted its current format after sweeping through its side of the bracket with a perfect 3-0 record, defeating No. 8 national seed Florida State twice and No. 4 national seed North Carolina once.
A series win this weekend would give Tennessee its 24th team national championship (all sports) and first since 2009 when the women's track & field team won the indoor national championship.
NEED TO KNOW
- With a series win this weekend, UT would become the first SEC team in history to reach 60 victories in a single season and the just the fourth conference team to win the SEC regular season title, SEC Tournament title and the MCWS in the same season (2019 Vanderbilt, 2009 LSU, 1993 LSU).
- Since the start of the 2020 season, no team in college baseball has won more games and posted a higher winning percentage than Tennessee. UT's 224 victories and .780 winning percentage both rank No. 1 in the nation over the past five seasons.
NCAA Division I Leaders by Winning Pct (Since 2020)
1. Tennessee - .780 (224-63)
2. Arkansas - .727 (194073)
3. UC Santa Barbara - .717 (177-70)
4. East Carolina - .715 (196-78)
5. Dallas Baptist - .698 (179-77-1)
- The Vols are just the third program in Division I history to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament twice in a three-year span, joining Florida (2016 & 2018) and Florida State (2002 and 2003).
- Tennessee also joins a small group of programs that have earned the No. 1 national seed multiple times, becoming just the seventh to do so since the tournament switched to its current format in 1999, joining Florida, Florida State, Miami, Oregon State, Texas and UCLA.
- UT is just the fourth No. 1 overall seed to reach the MCWS final since 1999, joining Miami (1999 – Won Title), Texas (2009 – Runner-Up), Texas (2004 – Runner-Up).
- Tennessee is playing in its third College World Series in three years and seventh overall in program history.
- UT is the only SEC program and one of just two nationally (Virginia) to have appeared in the MCWS in two of the last three seasons (2021, 2023, 2024).
- Tennessee has been the nation's most prolific home run hitting team since the start of the 2021 season, leading all NCAA Division I programs with 559 long balls during that span. In the previous decade before that (2010-2020), the Volunteers totaled just 376 home runs.
- UT has homered in 63 of its 70 games this season with a single-season program record 178 total round trippers, which leads the nation and is the second highest total in NCAA Division I history (1997 LSU – 188).
- Tennessee is the first program in NCAA Division I history to have five players hit 20 or more home runs in a single season (Moore – 33, Amick – 23, Burke – 20, Dreiling – 20, Tears – 20).
- The Vols 12 grand slams are tied for the second most in a single season in NCAA history (most in the BBCOR bat era) and the most ever by an SEC team. The NCAA single-season record is 14 by Arizona State in 2003 (68 games). Nine different players have hit a grand slam for the Vols this season.
- Chrisitan Moore is having one of the greatest single seasons in program history and has earned All-America status from multiple outlets. The junior second baseman won the Triple Crown with his stats in league play, leading the SEC with a .429 batting average, 20 home runs and 41 RBIs in conference play while also leading the league with 57 hits and 123 total bases. Moore finished second in slugging percentage (.925) and fifth in runs scored (37).
- Entering the championship series, Moore leads the nation with 109 hits and ranks in the top-25 nationally in home runs (t-3rd – 33), runs (t-12th - 81), slugging percentage (11th – .816) and total bases (2nd – 231).
- The New York native ranks in the top 10 in UT single-season annals in multiple categories, including first in home runs (33), first in total bases (231), first in extra-base hits (54), tied for second in hits (109), fourth in runs (81), fifth in slugging percentage (.816) and tied for sixth in RBIs (73).
- Moore became just the fourth player in UT history to reach the 100-hit mark in a season, joining program legends Chris Burke (2000 & 2001), Jeff Pickler (1998) and Todd Helton (1995).
- Blake Burke has also had a season to remember, earning numerous first-team All-America honors (ABCA, NCBWA, Perfect Game).
- Burke's 28 doubles rank second in the nation and third in program history while his 104 hits are tied for second most nationally and rank sixth in UT single-season history.
- The California native's 194 total bases are the ninth most in the country and fourth most in program history.
- Senior lefthander Zander Sechrist has been downright dominant over his last five starts, posting a 4-0 record with a 1.23 ERA and 21 strikeouts with just five walks in 29.1 innings pitched.
- In postseason play (SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament), Sechrist is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA, 17 strikeouts, five walks, and a .209 opponent batting average in four starts (23.1 innings).
- The Georgia native have pitched at least six innings in four of his last five starts and tied his career high in innings pitched (6.1) in each of his last two outings.
- Over his last five starts, Tennessee has clinched an SEC regular season title (May 18 vs. South Carolina), advanced to the SEC Tournament Championship game (May 25 vs. Vanderbilt), won the NCAA Knoxville Regional (June 2 vs. Southern Miss), won the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional (June 9 vs. Evansville) and clinched a spot in the MCWS final (June 19 vs. Florida State).
ABOUT TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M earned the No. 3 national seed and punched its ticket to Omaha after defeating Oregon in the super regional round.
The Aggies are making their first-ever appearance in the MCWS final after sweeping through their side of the bracket with a pair of wins over Florida and one against No. 2 national seed Kentucky.
Texas A&M enters the championship series with a 52-13 overall record and is a perfect 8-0 on the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies last defeat was a 7-4 loss against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament on May 23, the only meeting between the two teams this season.
Led by one of the nation's top pitching staffs that ranks third nationally with a 3.80 ERA, the Aggies have a NCAA-best 12 shutouts this season, including a 6-0 victory over Florida on Wednesday to clinch their spot in the CWS final.
OFFICIAL FAN TAILGATES & WATCH PARTIES
Tennessee's official fan tailgates in Omaha will beheld at Blur Hospitality, located on the north side of the Hilton Omaha (1001 Cass Street, Omaha NE, 68102). Times for each day's tailgate are listed below:
Saturday, June 22: 3 p.m. - Midnight
Sunday, June 23: 9 a.m. - 2 hours postgame
Monday, June 24: 3 p.m. - Midnight
For more info and pricing, click the following link: https://1tn.co/3RZu53N
There will also be official watch parties for fans in Knoxville at Vol Village located across from Circle Park outside Neyland Stadium (times listed below).
Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m. ET
Sunday starting at 1 p.m. ET
Sunday (Start time and location TBD)
