Josh Elander focused on the 'guys in the room' in terms of coaching, support staff  

Tennessee Athletics Director Danny White ended the coaching search after just three days on Saturday when he announced the hiring of associate head coach Josh Elander to replace the departing Tony Vitello.

With the promotion, the expectation is the program will likely retain longtime pitching coach Frank Anderson and strength coach Quentin Eberhardt, as well as assistant coach Ross Kivett. Elander has one spot on the coaching staff he will need to fill, but the new coach said his only focus is on the guys in the room right now. Details on the finalization of the coaching staff are expected in the coming weeks.

“Definitely going to lean on administration throughout his process. This is (the) fist time I’ve ever done this,” the new Tennessee coach said. “My focus is to take care of the people in the building first. Not worry about anything externally. I think we have some of the best people at what they do in their positions, so they need to be taken care of the right way. That’s my main and sole focus. All the roots we have – I’m just excited because we want stability for these guys moving forward.”

Anderson spent the eight seasons on Rocky Top with Tony Vitello, helping the Vols win the 2024 College World Series – the first national championship in program history. The pitching coach was instrumental in helping the Vols reach Omaha three times over a four-year span and super regional play five-straight seasons.

The Vols finished 2025 ranked No. 14 in ERA (4.06) and WHIP (1.29).

Tennessee finished the 2024 national championship season with the sixth-best ERA (3.89) in the country, fifth-best WHIP (1.25) and third-most strikeouts (700). A season ago in 2023, the Tennessee staff placed second nationally in ERA (3.63), WHIP (1.16) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.03). Anderson was named the Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year following the 2022 campaign, where Vols hurlers led the country in ERA (2.51), WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio (695/164), walks allowed per nine innings and hits allowed per nine innings.

Eberhardt was a part of Vitello’s original staff (with Elander) hired in July of 2017 and spent the 2018-2021 seasons in Knoxville before being named the head strength and conditioning coach for the Chicago Cubs for one season. Eberhardt returned in July of 2022 and had held the same position since.

The strength coach has been instrumental in Tennessee’s rise to dominance under Vitello, playing a key role in the program’s  first ever National Championship in 2024, five NCAA regional appearances (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), four NCAA super regionals (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025) and three trips to the Men’s College World Series (2021, 2023, 2024).

Kivett was also a part of Vitello’s original staff when hired as Volunteer assistant, spending the 2018-2021 seasons in Knoxville. He spent three seasons at Houston as assistant coach before returning to Rocky Top ahead of the 2025 season for an on-the-field role. Kivett works with the Tennessee infielders.