Todd Helton calls Tony Vitello the best coach in college baseball during Hall of Fame speech

COOPERSTOWN, NY − Todd Helton called Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello the best in the business during his National Baseball Hall of Fame speech on Sunday.

“I would also like to recognize the best college head coach in the nation today, Coach Tony Vitello, and the national champion Tennessee Volunteers,” Helton said.

Vitello was on hand to see Helton inducted into the Hall of Fame. Vitello and the Vols won the program’s first national title in 2024, defeating Texas A&M in a three-game series in Omaha, Nebraska. UT became the first team in SEC history to win 60 games in a season.

Helton, who was one of four inductees into the 2024 Hall of Fame class, played at Tennessee from 1993 to 1995. He is already in the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. His No. 3 was permanently retired by UT in 2008.

Helton batted .370 with 38 homers, 238 RBIs and 199 runs at UT. His RBI total ranks first in program history, as do his 147 walks. He ranks second in runs, hits with 280, doubles with 65, extra-base hits with 114 and total bases with 481.

His 38 homers stood as the record until 2022, when Evan Russell and Luc Lipcius broke it in 2022. Russell was in his fifth year and Lipcius was in his sixth, while Helton hit 38 in three seasons. Christian Moore set the program record with 61 homers after hitting a program record 34 in 2024.

Helton also had 23 saves, which ties the record held by Redmond Walsh. Walsh tied the record in 2022, his fifth season.

TO DISPLAY: 29 years later, Todd Helton’s dominance of Clemson in the 1995 CWS still has Tim Corbin in awe

Helton is the second SEC player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, following Auburn product Frank Thomas, who was elected in 2014.

At Central High, Helton was the 1992 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in football and baseball. At UT, he was the 1995 National Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, SEC Athlete of the Year and quarterback for the Vols. Helton played in 12 games during his football career with the Vols, completing 41 of 75 passes for 484 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Mike Wilson covers athletics at the University of Tennessee. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s reporting, consider a digital subscription which gives you access to everything

This article originally appeared on the Knoxville News Sentinel: Todd Helton: Tennessee’s Tony Vitello is the best coach in college