Tennessee baseball is competing in the 2025 Astros Foundation College Classic, the organization announced on Monday morning.
Tony Vitello’s eighth team is one of six teams in the event alongside Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Rice and Texas A&M. Tennessee will play the three non SEC teams in the event.
That would create early season matchups against Arizona, Oklahoma State and Rice for Tennessee baseball. The event is taking place from Feb. 28 to March 2 this season so Tennessee will have a handful of tune up games before heading to the Lone Star State.
According to the Astros’ release, the schedule is tentative to change. But as of now, Tennessee will face Oklahoma State on Friday at 4:05 p.m. ET, Rice on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. ET and Arizona on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. ET.
Oklahoma State hosted a regional last season before losing in seven games against Florida. Arizona also hosted a regional during the 2024 season but went 0-2 with losses against Dallas Baptist and Grand Canyon. Rice is a traditionally strong program but has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2017.
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This marks the fourth straight season that Tennessee baseball is playing in an early season tournament and the second time in the stretch that the Vols will play at Minute Maid Ballpark in Houston.
In 2022, Tennessee went 2-1 against Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor in Houston. Tennessee opened up the 2023 season in the Phoenix area going 1-2 against Arizona, Grand Canyon and UC San Diego. The Vols opened up the 2024 season in Dallas where they went 2-1 against Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Baylor.
The early season tournament in Houston is the first piece of scheduling news for Tennessee baseball entering the 2025 season.
Tennessee baseball is coming off its best season in program history. The Vols won a SEC best 60 games as well as the SEC Regular-Season Championship, SEC Tournament Championship and the first National Championship in program history.
Vitello’s squad loses a myriad of key players entering the 2025 season and is looking to replenish the roster in the transfer portal this offseason.
