Danny White details one important aspect of Tennessee's 'championship culture'
When Tennessee’s softball team returned from the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Tony Vitello was there to offer a hug to Lady Vols head coach Karen Weekly. When Vitello’s team returned from the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, it was Weekly returning the gesturing and welcoming the Vols back.
The support shared by the two teams didn’t go unnoticed by Tennessee athletic director Danny White. Because he knows it doesn’t go unnoticed by others.
“It’s extremely important,” White said recently during an appearance on the Ramon, Kayla and Will show on 104.5-FM The Zone in Nashville. “And their student-athletes are watching them.
The Lady Vols came up one win short of playing in the national championship series at the Women’s College World Series, beating Alabama and Oklahoma State but falling to Oklahoma and Florida State.
Tennessee athletics had unparalleled success in 2022-23
Vitello’s baseball team was eliminated Tuesday after losing twice to LSU at the College World Series. Tennessee came back from down 4-0 to beat Stanford 6-4 on Monday, winning a game in Omaha for the first time in 22 years.
The Vols were one of the final five teams standing, before LSU and Florida ultimately advanced to the championship series.
But according to White, what both teams saw when they returned to campus was just as important as advancing to their respective World Series.
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“I think the way I define a championship culture is when I see student-athletes and coaches and teams caring about each other’s success as their own,” White said. “We talk about in any team event, you have to let go of your own personal, your individual goals and be bought in and invested in the team goals. That’s real and important. But can we take that a step further and can we care about across-the-board success?
“We’re very intentional with a lot of internal marketing with our student-athletes. We need our coaches to be our leaders in that effort.
‘I think winning is contagious’
Success was across the board during the 2022-23 academic year.
Tennessee became the first school since 1998 to win a BCS or New Year’s Six bowl game in football, advance to the Sweet Sixteen in both the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments as well as the Men’s and Women’s College World Series.
“I think winning is contagious,” White said. “Tony and baseball kind of started us off my first spring here. That spring of ’21 when they came out on a tear. And Josh with the Orange Bowl and Rick (Barnes) and Kelly (Harper) have been doing. Karen just had a fantastic year this year. So happy for her.
“I love to see that (support) … it was a great leadership thing to do and it helped us reinforce the championship culture we’re building here.”
