Tennessee Coach Praises Infielder Ariel Antigua Ahead of Season Opener

Vols head coach Josh Elander highlights Antigua's strong preseason performance and competition for starting spots.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Tennessee baseball head coach Josh Elander spoke highly of infielder Ariel Antigua in a recent press conference, praising his strong preseason play and the competition he's facing for starting positions. Elander noted that Antigua has "played honestly out of his mind" and is doing everything the coaching staff has asked of him, including excelling on defense, running the bases well, and communicating effectively with his teammates. The Vols are set to open their season this weekend against Nicholls State.

Why it matters

Antigua is a key returning player for the Vols, and his strong preseason performance suggests he could be poised for a breakout year. The competition for starting spots is also an important storyline as Tennessee looks to build on its success from last season.

The details

Elander highlighted how Antigua and other infielders have made the coaching staff's decisions difficult, with multiple players capable of contributing at a high level. The coach said he's told the team that Opening Day is just the beginning, and the focus will be on continual improvement throughout the season and into SEC play.

  • The Vols' season opener against Nicholls State is set for this Friday.
  • Elander's comments came during a recent pre-season press conference.

The players

Josh Elander

The head baseball coach for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Ariel Antigua

A key returning infielder for the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“I mean, again, they've made it as hard as possible on me, to be honest with you. And that's what I talked with him about, is at this point of the year, plant your flag. Force me to put you in there. And again, Ariel has played honestly out of his mind. If you go, if you look at what he did in the fall and how his teammates ranked him, and then out of the gate, we kind of bounced those guys back-and-forth over the last few games. But he's doing everything we ask for, overcommunicating on the infield. He's running the bases at a high level, keeping the ball in front on defense.”

— Josh Elander, Head Coach (si.com)

“Yeah, we're just excited to get going. I know the guys — it's been nice how the NCAA has opened it up. We've had a little bit more time. Had to battle the weather a little bit, but had a good weekend. We're able to get outside for three consecutive days, see those guys compete a little bit. But again, the start of the season is here. We're excited. But again, this will be a process where I told the guys, hey, Opening Day is right around the corner, but this needs to be a deal, this is just the beginning of getting better and better as we go through the course of the year, and then eventually get into SEC play.”

— Josh Elander, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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