Josh Elander - Baseball Coach (2024)

Josh Elanderwas named an assistant coach for the Volunteers in August of 2017 after spending one season as a volunteer assistant coach at Arkansas and was promoted to associate head coach after the conclusion ofhis fifthseason on Rocky Top in 2022. During his six seasons on staff, the Volunteers have made two trips to the College World Series (2021 & 2023) and four NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023).

Elanderworks primarily with the team's hitters and catchers while also serving as Tennessee's recruiting coordinator.

"There are not many players that I have spent more hours in the batting cage with than Josh. His work ethic was a catalyst in making him a shining star as a player and in more recent years as a coach," Volshead coach Tony Vitello said.

"His abilities as a high school All-American allowed for him to live out a recruiting experience of the utmost intensity. In the weeks that he has relentlessly worked on the road, it's evident that his personal familiarity allows him to relate incredibly well to our prospects and their own personal process."

Since his arrival, Elander has played an integral part in helping Tennessee sign six top-15 recruiting classes according to Perfect Game. The Vols brought in the fifth-ranked class in 2018, the seventh-ranked class in 2019, the 11th-ranked class in 2020,the sixth-ranked class in 2021, the 13th ranked class in 2022 and the fourth ranked class in 2023.

Elander has shown an innate abilityto develop players and prepare them for professional baseball, havingcoached 18 hitters/position players that have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft during his six seasons on Rocky Top, including six of a program-record 10 Vols taken in the 2022 draft, headlined by a pair of first rounders in outfielders Drew Gilbert (Houston Astros) and Jordan Beck (Colorado Rockies).

Over the last fiveyears (2019-23), Elander has coached 13hitters that have been selected in the top seven rounds of the MLB Draft.

During his tenure, Tennessee has evolved into one of the country's top offensive teams year after year.

Despite losing all nine position starters from the record-setting 2022 team, Tennessee was still one of the nation's top power hitting teams in 2023, finishing sixth in the NCAA with 126 home runs and 19th in slugging percentage (.522).

In 2022, the Vols led the nation in numerous statistical categories while setting a handful of program records along the way, including new marks for home runs (158), doubles (156), runs scored (613), RBIs (574), slugging percentage (.604), walks (388) and total bases (1,380). Tennessee's158 homers shattered the previous program record of 107 and ranked fourth in NCAA Division I history, including the most by any team in the BBCOR bat era (since 2011). UT also led the country in on-base percentage (.419), runs scored (613) and slugging percentage (.604) in 2022.

After having one of the most productive offenses in the nation during the pandemic shortened 2020 season, the Vols were one of the SEC's most dangerous teams at the plate again in 2021 on their way to winning the SEC Eastern division title for the first time since 1995 and making their first trip to the College World Series since 2005. Tennessee finished the season ranked among the top 25 nationally in runs scored (7th - 475), hits (2nd - 657), doubles (3rd - 134), home runs (4th - 98) and walks (5th - 336).

Despite playing in the nation's toughest conference, Tennessee's offensive production actually increased during Southeastern Conference play in 2021. In conference only games, the Big Orange led the league in runs scored (200), doubles (59) and RBIs (186) while also ranking in the top five in batting average (3rd - .274), slugging percentage (2nd - .467), on-base percentage (2nd - .377), hits (3rd - 287), triples (t-5th - 4), home runs (3rd - 45), total bases (2nd - 489), walks (2nd - 148), hit by pitch (5th - 31) and stolen bases (5th - 26).

Tennessee's 98 home runs were the second most in a single season in program history at the time. Five different players hit double-digit homers and 10 players finished the year with multiple long balls.

After showing significant offensive improvement in 2019, the Big Orange were putting up historic numbers through 17 games in 2020 before the season was cut short due to the Coronavirus(COVID-19) global health crisis.

Prior to the season being canceled, Tennessee led the country in total runs (180) and runs per game (10.6) while ranking second in home runs (31), slugging percentage (.556), walks (124) and on-base percentage (.442). The Vols were alsoamong the national leaders in a handful of other statistical categories, including: batting average: .320 (fifth), doubles: 43 (sixth) and hts: 193 (third).

Through 17 games, 14 different players on UT's roster hit a home run, more than any other team in the nation. Nine players had multiple homers, led by the trio of Alerick Soularie (five), Zach Daniels (four) and Connor Pavolony (four). Pavolony, who Elander worked with closely in the batter's box and behind the plate, showed huge improvement as a sophom*ore in 2020. In 12 games played, the Georgia native was batting .342 with three doubles, four homers, 12 RBI and a .737 slugging percentage after hitting just .228 with two homers and 17 RBI in 44 games played in 2019.

Elanderwas also part of the coaching staff that helped lead Tennessee to the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional in 2019, the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005.The Vols went 40-21 overall and 14-16 in SEC play to finish third in the Eastern Division, the program's highest finish since 2005. UT's offensive production saw a significant increase in 2019. The Vols scored 378 runs, had 173 extra-base hits, hit 53 home runs and had a slugging percentage of .407, all marks that were the highest since 2010. Tennessee was one of the country's most proficient base stealing teams as well, leading all Power 5 programs with 108 stolen bases this season.Junior speedster Jay Charleston finished the year with 41 steals, becoming the first SEC player to steal 40-plus bases in a season since VFLs Chris Burke (49) and Stevie Daniel (46) both accomplished the feat back in 2001.

As hitting coach, Elander also played a large part in helping mold some of UT's top offensive players, most notably junior infielder Andre Lipcius. During Elander's two seasons at Tennessee,Lipcius' numbers have increased dramatically across the board, most notablyin the power category. After having just 14 extra-base hits and one home run as a freshman, Lipciushad 18 extra-base hits and seven homers as a sophom*ore before a breakout junior campaign that saw him finish with 32 extra-base hits, including a team high 17 home runs, the most by UT player since 2009. Lipcius also set career highs in runs scored (51), hits (73), doubles (15), RBI (58), slugging percentage (.586), walks (31), on-base percentage (.399) and stolen bases (10) in 2019 en route to earning ABCA All-South Region honors. The Virginia native was drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft, becoming just the fourth Tennessee player to be taken in the first three rounds since 2010.

In his first season as a full-time assistant coach, Elanderhelped the Vols improve their offensive numbers across the board from 2017. UT saw increases in itsseason totals in runs, hits, home runs, extra-base hits, RBI, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage in 2018 despite losing their top two hitters from 2017. Tennessee increased its runs per game from 4.92 to 5.27 and scored six or more runs 25 times. The Vols also had 18 more extra-base hits than they did in 2017, including nine more home runs.

Prior to joining Vitello's staff at UT, Elander was part of an Arkansas team that went 45-19 and hosted an NCAA Regional in 2017. He helped lead one of the most potent offenses in the SEC as the Razorbacks led the conference and ranked ninth nationally with 83 home runs in 2017. The Hogs also ranked among the top three in the SEC in batting average, runs scored, RBI, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, triples and total bases. Elander played a large role in working with Arkansas' catchers and helped develop Grant Koch into a first team All-SEC selection. Koch also earned a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National team.

Prior to joining Arkansas' coaching staff in 2017, Elander spent the 2016 season as a student assistant at his alma mater TCU, where he was able to complete his degree in communications while helping the Horned Frogs reach their third consecutive College World Series. During his time at TCU, Elander helped mentor sophom*ore catcher Evan Skoug, who was a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award and was invited to join the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Elander had a decorated playing career himself during his time at TCU from 2010-12. He hit .333 with 39 doubles, seven triples, 18 home runs and 114 RBIs over 169 games during his three seasons in Fort Worth. Elander earned Freshman All-America honors from Louisville Slugger and Ping!Baseball in 2010 after batting .356 with 69 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 33 RBI in 59 games while helping TCU reach the College World Series.

After taking over as the Horned Frogs starting catcher as a sophom*ore, Elander earned a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Under the guidance of Vitello, who was TCU's hitting coach from 2011-13, Elander started all 62 games and posted careers highs with 70 hits, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs en route to earning all-conference and Capital One Academic All-America honors in 2012.

Elander was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the sixth round of the 2012 MLB Draft and spent parts of four years in the Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks minor league systems. Elander's best season came in 2013 when he was named the Atlanta Braves Minor League Player of the Year and also won the Atlanta Braves Hank Aaron Award, which is presented annually to the organization's top hitter in the minor leagues. During his professional career, Elander hit .273 with 21 homers and 135 RBIs through 222 games.

Elander is a native of Round Rock, Texas and earned his Bachelor's degree in communications from TCU in 2016. He lives in Knoxville with his wife, Brittany, and their two daughters, A.J. and Maxie.