Tennessee coach Vitello reinstated; transfer Ahuna eligible

Tennessee coach Vitello reinstated; transfer Ahuna eligible

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello will be back in the dugout for Tuesday’s game vs. Charleston Southern after serving a three-game suspension due to an NCAA violation, the school announced Monday.

In addition, Kansas transfer Maui Ahuna has been declared eligible to play for the Volunteers. Ahuna, a shortstop who was a second-team preseason All-American, sat out Tennessee’s first eight games of the season due to eligibility concerns.

No specific reason was given for Vitello’s suspension, though it was reportedly related to accusations of tampering with Ahuna before he entered the NCAA transfer portal. Ahuna batted .396 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs for the Jayhawks last season, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors.

Tennessee (6-2) swept Dayton over the weekend with assistant coach Josh Elander running the team.