From @RileyMcFerran
arkansas.rivals.com
The 2024 college baseball season officially ended Monday following Tennessee's College World Series-clinching win over Texas A&M, and Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said he was happy to see his former assistants victorious at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
Led by former Razorbacks' assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Tony Vitello (2014-17), the Volunteers sported one of the premier offenses in the country thanks to hitting coach and fellow former Arkansas assistant Josh Elander (2017). Former Arkansas left fielder Luke Bonfield (2015-18) is also a member of Tennessee's staff as the Director of Player Development.
"I’m not going to say I was rooting against A&M, but I wanted to see Tennessee win," Van Horn said Wednesday. "I mean, Tony worked hard here, Josh worked hard here. Bonfield played here. Those are my friends. I feel like I’ve helped them over the years, and they've helped me. I talk to them a lot throughout the season. So I’m happy for those guys."
After Tenneesee's nail-biting 6-5 win against the Aggies, Vitello credited Van Horn and the Razorbacks' program for helping him become a better leader, even tabbing Arkansas' skipper as "the best coach in the country."
"I really appreciate it," Van Horn said. "It’s bittersweet because they won it and we didn’t. People are happy there and people are not happy here. Really for what we do here, we’re trying to develop people. We’re trying to develop our players into men and good people. On the coaching side, have these guys go out and be successful and have a career.
RELATED: Tennessee’s Vitello credits Van Horn, Arkansas after national championship
"Even Andy Sawyers at SEMO, coached him, he coached with me a little bit. I coached him hard and he mentioned it that I was kind of tough on him, because I thought he could be better than he was. I think he appreciates it not. But yeah, I appreciate that a lot, I really do."
Van Horn and his staff will continue to build up the 2025 roster, and HawgBeat provides unmatched coverage of all the movement, so stay tuned to The Trough premium message board.
HawgBeat: Arkansas Razorbacks Football & Basketball Recruiting - Van Horn pleased to see former assistants win national championship
Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn was happy to see Tennessee win the CWS on Monday.
The 2024 college baseball season officially ended Monday following Tennessee's College World Series-clinching win over Texas A&M, and Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said he was happy to see his former assistants victorious at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
Led by former Razorbacks' assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Tony Vitello (2014-17), the Volunteers sported one of the premier offenses in the country thanks to hitting coach and fellow former Arkansas assistant Josh Elander (2017). Former Arkansas left fielder Luke Bonfield (2015-18) is also a member of Tennessee's staff as the Director of Player Development.
"I’m not going to say I was rooting against A&M, but I wanted to see Tennessee win," Van Horn said Wednesday. "I mean, Tony worked hard here, Josh worked hard here. Bonfield played here. Those are my friends. I feel like I’ve helped them over the years, and they've helped me. I talk to them a lot throughout the season. So I’m happy for those guys."
After Tenneesee's nail-biting 6-5 win against the Aggies, Vitello credited Van Horn and the Razorbacks' program for helping him become a better leader, even tabbing Arkansas' skipper as "the best coach in the country."
"I really appreciate it," Van Horn said. "It’s bittersweet because they won it and we didn’t. People are happy there and people are not happy here. Really for what we do here, we’re trying to develop people. We’re trying to develop our players into men and good people. On the coaching side, have these guys go out and be successful and have a career.
RELATED: Tennessee’s Vitello credits Van Horn, Arkansas after national championship
"Even Andy Sawyers at SEMO, coached him, he coached with me a little bit. I coached him hard and he mentioned it that I was kind of tough on him, because I thought he could be better than he was. I think he appreciates it not. But yeah, I appreciate that a lot, I really do."
Van Horn and his staff will continue to build up the 2025 roster, and HawgBeat provides unmatched coverage of all the movement, so stay tuned to The Trough premium message board.
