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Tony Vitello earns coaching awards from Perfect Game/Rawlings, Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

The Vols are in Omaha, about to play their first game in the College World Series since 2005.

Perfect Game USA/Rawlings and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association have chosen Tony Vitello for coach of the year honors.

Both organizations made the announcements Friday.

Perfect Game tweeted out word that the University of Tennessee coach had been chosen National Coach of the Year.

In his fourth year now as UT's baseball coach, Vitello has his team playing in the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2005.

The Vols play Sunday against Virginia.

Perfect Game credited Vitello with turning the Big Orange into "a powerhouse."

"The Vols enter Omaha with their first appearance since 2005 & first 50W season this century," the tweet reads.

The college baseball writers group also announced Friday they were honoring Vitello. The award is named in honor of Mike Martin, the longtime Florida State baseball coach now retired.

According to UT, the NCBWA Coach of the Year Award, introduced in 2008, is voted on by the NCBWA Board of Directors, and chosen from a list that includes all Division I conference coaches of the year and the coaches of the eight NCAA College World Series teams.

Many UT fans have been saying the university should reward Vitello financially for the team's outstanding performance. UT so far hasn't commented.

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