A Florida Return for the Vols
Tennessee baseball is slated to take part in the 2027 Live Like Lou Jax College Baseball Classic, a three‑team round‑robin that will be held Feb. 26‑28 at Vystar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida. The tournament, hosted by the Triple‑A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, will feature the Vols alongside Cincinnati, Georgia Tech and Illinois.
Coaching Continuity Under Josh Elander
Head coach Josh Elander, now in his second year leading the Vols, will be looking to build on a strong debut that saw Tennessee finish 22‑6 against nonconference opponents and finish the 2026 season with a 38‑22 record before bowing out in the Chapel Hill Regional.
Elander’s first season included a stint at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Classic in Arlington, Texas, where the Vols defeated Arizona State and Virginia Tech before dropping a game to UCLA. That experience set the stage for the upcoming Florida trip.
Elite Field and Past Seeding
Georgia Tech entered the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 national seed, only to be upset by Oklahoma in the Atlanta Regional. Cincinnati, meanwhile, advanced to the Starkville Regional hosted by Mississippi State. Both programs bring a high‑profile résumé to the Jacksonville field.
Venue and Tournament Format
The tournament will be staged at Vystar Ballpark, the home of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, providing a professional‑grade venue for the college teams. The venue’s capacity and amenities are expected to enhance the fan experience and showcase the city’s growing baseball culture.
For Tennessee, the Florida swing represents more than just a schedule filler; it is an opportunity to test the Vols against elite competition early in the season and to fine‑tune strategies before conference play begins.