Feb. 14, 2017

2017 Schedule

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Baseball Time in Tennessee is three short days away! To count down to the start of the 2017 season, UTSports.com will profile a player each day on the Vols' 2017 squad. The countdown began Jan. 18 and will run up until UT’s season opener this weekend on February 17 against Memphis at FedEx Park.

TENNESSEE BASEBALL'S NO. 3

1993-95 |Todd Helton
2002-05 | Joey Andrews
1976|Charles Black (Away)
1991-92 | Andy Blanco
1998-2001 | Jeff Christensen
1997 | Justin Duckwiler
1967 | Mike Duvall
2006-07 | Aaron Everett
1985 | Pepi Felieu
1996 | James Fritz
1980 | Don Goldstein
1990 | Jason Imperial
1970, 71-73 | Pat Lenahan (Home)
1966 | Mike Lawler
1974 | David Mitchell
1977-79| Gary Rivera
1969 | Dave Rutherford
1986-87 | Jim Sanger
1989 | Brian Szilagyi
1983-84 | Terry Troutman

Need to Know

Later this week, Tennessee will travel to Memphis to open their 2017 season with a three-game set (Feb. 17-19) against the University of Memphis at FedEx Park, home of the Tigers. The Big Orange then heads west during their second week of the season for a single-game matchup at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, Calif. (Feb. 22) before travelling to San Diego to participate in the Tony Gwynn Classic on Feb. 24-26.

Following the four-game stint in California, the Volunteers will return to Knoxville for their first home series of the season on March 3-5. The series also signifies the first-ever meeting between Norfolk State and UT.

The Orange & White open their 2017 Southeastern Conference schedule with the South Carolina Gamecocks in Knoxville on March 17-19, marking the second consecutive year for UT to begin conference play at home. Tennessee later plays host to SEC rivals Georgia (March 31-April 2), Auburn (April 13-15) and Arkansas (May 4-6) before closing out regular season play against Missouri (May 18-20) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

This year, the Volunteers' SEC road schedule includes trips to Mississippi State (March 24-26), Florida (April 7-9), Texas A&M (April 21-23), Vanderbilt (April 28-30) and Kentucky (May 12-14).

On the season, the Volunteers, led by Head Coach Dave Serrano and his staff, are scheduled to play 15 of their 55 regular season games against five 2016 NCAA postseason participants, including 2016 SEC Tournament Champion Texas A&M.

Countdown to Baseball: 3 Days

17-year Major League veteran Todd Helton is one of 20 Vols to wear the No. 3 jersey in Tennessee history. This season, he joins the Tennessee Baseball staff as the director of player development.

Todd Helton

Director of Player Development

The Knoxville, Tenn. native played for the Vols from 1993-95 before being drafted by the Colorado Rockies, where he would spend 17 years before retiring in 2013.

As a Vol, Helton helped lead Tennessee to three straight NCAA Regional appearances, including a third-place showing in the 1995 College World Series and was twice named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Among many other collegiate recognitions, he was a Freshman All-American, First Team All-SEC and Third Team All-American in 1993. As a junior, he was named the 1995 National Collegiate Player of the Year, Dick Howser Award winner from USA Today/Baseball Weekly, Baseball America’s National Player of the Year Award winner, Collegiate Baseball’s Co-National Player of the Year and the Southeastern Conference’s Male Athlete of the Year.

During his time in the Rockies organization, Helton was the team’s longest-tenured player with several club records under his belt including the most games played (2,247), runs (1,401), hits (2,519), doubles (592), home runs (369), RBI (1,406), walks (1,335) and extra-base hits (998). He also amassed numerous honors such as being a five-time All-Star, four-time Louisville Slugger Silver Award winner and three-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner.

His No. 17 jersey was retired by Colorado on Aug. 7, 2014, making him the first player in Rockies history to have his jersey retired at Coors Field, while his No. 3 jersey is also retired for the Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.