No. 1 overall seed Tennessee (55-12, 22-8 SEC) will play No. 8 overall seed Florida State (47-15, 19-12 ACC) Friday in the College World Series.
First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. EDT at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.
A connection between the two schools is Rod Delmonico, who coached at both schools.
Delmonico (699-396) served as the Vols’ head coach from 1990-2007. He guided the Vols to three consecutive Southeastern Conference regular-season championships and tournament titles (1993-95). Tennessee also advanced to the College World Series in 1995, 2001 and 2005 under Delmonico.
Delmonico attended Liberty and played baseball and soccer.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Gloucester County College in Seewell, New Jersey in 1981. He also served as an assistant coach at Clemson (1982-83) before coaching at Florida State, where he worked under head coach Mike Martin (1984-90).
Delmonico returned to Florida State in 2008 as a volunteer assistant. He was also an assistant coach at Florida International in 2009.
Delmonico managed the Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
His son, Tony Delmonico, played shortstop for the Vols from 2006-07 before transferring to Florida State in 2008. Following his junior season with the Seminoles, he was drafted by the Dodgers. He was selected in the sixth-round in the 2008 MLB draft.
