Oregon Ducks' Mark Wasikowski Listed as Top Candidate for High-Profile SEC Job

Oregon Ducks baseball coach Mark Wasikowski is among the names being mentioned as a potential candidate for the Tennessee Volunteers job. Could Wasikowski be on the move from Eugene to Knoxville?

Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski joins his team after defeating Toledo at PK Park in Eugene Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee Volunteers coach Tony Vitello was hired as the next manager of the San Francisco Giants in a rather surprising move as Vitello becomes the first college baseball coach to jump to the MLB without prior experience coaching in the league.

With a high-profile SEC job open, Oregon Ducks baseball coach Mark Wasikowski could be targeted by Tennessee. On3's Pete Nakos reported that Waskiowski is a candidate for the job, along with Volunteers associate coach Josh Elander, to replace Vitello.

During his tenure with the Volunteers, Vitello had a 341-131 record in his time at Tennessee. He also led the Volunteers to the College World Series three separate times, including winning a national championship in 2024 against Texas A&M.

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello during game one of the NCAA baseball tournament Fayetteville Super Regional between Tennessee and Arkansas held at Baum-Walker Stadium on Saturday, June 7, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vitello will have the task of trying to lead the Giants back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 in a competitive NL West.

The Giants finished the 2025 season with an 81-81 overall record and third in the NL West. It was the Giants' fourth straight season finishing third or worse in the NL West since winning the division title in 2021.

Could Tennessee Steal Oregon Baseball Coach Mark Wasikowski?

Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski walks the dugout as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday, March 15, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon has seen great success with Wasikowski as its coach. Under Wasikowski, the Ducks have made five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The Ducks have also appeared in two consecutive super regionals. This past season, Oregon finished the 2025 regular season with a 42-16 overall record, finishing 22-8 in the Big Ten.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Ducks lost both games in the Eugene Regional, losing 6-5 to Utah Valley and 10-8 to Cal Poly. The Ducks were led by junior outfielder Mason Neville, who led the country in home runs with 26 on the season in 57 games played.

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In his six seasons with the Ducks, Wasikowski has an overall record of 206-106. When the Ducks were in the Pac-12 from 2020 to 2024. Oregon had a 77-47 conference record in that span under Wasikowski.

Bringing over Wasikowski to coach Tennessee would be a stellar hire for the Volunteers. With Elander as the associate coach for the Volunteers, however, it is much more likely that Tennessee sticks to their coaching tree moving forward and hires Elander.

Other Coaching Stints For Wasikowski

Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski, center, talks strategy as the Ducks take San Francisco to extra innings at PK Park March 30, 2022. Syndication The Register Guard | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Outside of being the coach for Oregon, Wasikowski also coached the Purdue Boilermakers and was an assistant for the Florida Gators and the Arizona Wildcats. Wasikowski, in three seasons as coach for the Boilermakers, had an 87-82 overall record, including going 36-34 in Big Ten play.

In 2018, the Boilermakers finished second in the Big Ten and made it to the regionals of the NCAA Tournament. Wasikowski was an assistant at Florida from 1999 to 2001 and at Arizona from 2002 to 2011.