No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3 Texas A&M went head-to-head in the championship series, with the Vols ultimately crowned champions after a 6-5 victory in Game 3 to cap a 60-win season on Monday in Omaha, Nebraska. But of course, there was plenty of drama along the way in this year's Men's College World Series.
There were three wins to open the series and there was the first cycle since 1956, all of which culminated in the top-ranked team winning it all for the first time since 1999 and for the first time in its program's history. .
Our experts break down what this championship does for Tennessee's legacy, recap their favorite moments from the MCWS, and offer some predictions for early 2025.
Jump to: Tennessee's Legacy | Returning to Omaha
Favorite moments of 2024
Who will do it next year? | Early POY Picks
What does this MCWS championship add to Tennessee's legacy?
Ryan McGee: For the Vols, it's easy. I finally got over the hump when, honestly, a lot of people had serious doubts about his ability to close the deal. And that wasn't just a baseball thing. Hey, someone should write about that… Oh, I did! As for A&M, it's back to the grind. The bad news is that it was lost. The good news is that history says those who come often return to Omaha hungrier and faster.
Chris Burke: The Vols can now enter the top of the on-field conversation in college baseball. This is the culmination of an incredibly successful four-year run in which the Vols made three trips to Omaha, won the SEC regular season and tournament title twice, and now the national championship. That kind of streak is a very good indication that the Vols are here to stay at the top of the college baseball conversation.
Mike Rooney: From 2006 to 2018, Tennessee missed 13 consecutive NCAA baseball tournaments. In several of those seasons, the Vols failed to qualify for the SEC tournament in Hoover, Alabama. Those struggles explain part of the advantage that drives Tony Vitello's teams. This program was tired of being pressured. The 2024 team put an exclamation point on a four-year streak that seemed impossible when Vitello was hired before the 2018 season. Over the past four seasons, no one in college baseball has been better than the Vols. And now there is a crown that confirms it.
Can Texas A&M and Tennessee return next season?
McGee: Yes. If A&M can stealthily use the transfer portal like they did a year ago to land Braden Montgomery and Tennessee can build around newly minted MCWS Most Outstanding Player Dylan Drieling, there's no reason to believe they can't. But it could be a little tougher for A&M as Jim Schlossnagle leaves to become the next head coach at Texas.
Burke: Getting back to the final is a difficult task in today's game. The number of teams investing and competing to win it all has never been greater, and both teams are losing a lot of stars. With the commitment these two schools have made to winning and recruiting, I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams return to the Supers next year knocking on MCWS's door.
Rooney: Texas A&M seemed like an easy inclusion for my 2025 “Eight for Omaha.” Center fielder Jace LaViolette will be a preseason All-American. Third baseman Gavin Grahovac is of a similar ilk. Graduate transfer Wyatt Henseler (Penn) arrives in College Station as the Ivy League's all-time home run leader. The Aggie lineup should be fierce. For Tennessee, there is a lot to replace. That being said, Vitello may be the best recruiting head coach we have in college baseball. Shortstop Dean Curley should graduate to a spot in the middle of the order, and that's a good place to start.
What was your favorite moment from this year's MCWS?
McGee: As a MCWS history junkie, it's hard to top the Christian Moore cycle. To me, one of the wildest statistics in the Omaha record book was that there had only ever been one cycle, and it was in 1956! But it was also the atmosphere around these finals. The lines of people waiting to take photos with the Road to Omaha statue were the longest I've ever seen, and the line for the standing-room-only ticket lottery was the longest I've seen since the event opened. Charles Schwab Field.
Burke: Omaha had a lot of great moments this year, but I think what stands out the most is the way we started. Three wins in the first three games was the kind of game we could only dream of when the field was ready. Drama and clutch performances from the start set the stage for what ended up being one of the best MCWS ever!
Rooney: Dylan Dreiling's double in Tennessee's 12-11 victory over Florida State ended the best game of the 2024 Men's College World Series. The Vols needed five runs in the final two frames to complete an electrifying comeback. And Dreiling was just getting started. The sophomore left-handed hitter homered in all three games of the finals on his way to earning MCWS Most Outstanding Player honors.
Which team that missed the 2024 MCWS field will make it next year?
McGee: Arkansas. I still have no idea how he wasn't here this year.
Burke: I'll say LSU. Jay Johnson has been crushing it in the portal so far. The Tigers played as many freshmen as anyone in the country this year, and as those pieces develop and mix with the portal additions, I'd say the Tigers will be back in the mix next year.
Rooney: The Clemson Tigers have hosted the best game of the NCAA tournament in each of the last two seasons. His epic 14-inning game against Tennessee in the 2023 Clemson Regional ended in heartbreak. In 2024, the Tigers exorcised their recent postseason demons by winning their home regional with minimal stress. Unfortunately, Erik Bakich's club lost another historic thriller in their 13-inning super regional Game 2 against Florida. Center fielder Cam Cannarella put on a show in this one and returns for his third year. Freshman Aidan Knaak was Clemson's most consistent pitcher this season and should lead the rotation once again in 2025.
Who is your overly early pick for 2025 Player of the Year?
McGee: Jace LaViolette. If A&M is going to come back, he will be the reason. He just became the third Aggie to hit 50 home runs. He is six shy of breaking TAMU's career home run record. And he's a sophomore.
Burke: It's tough to pick this one, but I'm going to pick one of the best freshmen in the country from last year. Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron had a great season in Year 1 and projects to be one of the best players in America over the next two years. As soft as they are on defense and with a body that looks like it will take a big leap physically, Lebron is someone to watch heading into 2025.
Rooney: Oklahoma State left fielder Nolan Schubart offers a rare skill set. The 6-foot-5, 227-pound sophomore hits from the left side and is a scary combination of power and a pure hitter. Schubart enters his junior season as a career .352 hitter and has averaged 20 home runs and 71 RBI per year over his first two seasons. A 30-homer, 100-RBI season is a huge accomplishment, but it's very much on the table for this talented slugger.
