Rod Delmonico

Former baseball coach at the University of Tennessee

What is Rod Delmonico known for?

Rod Delmonico, born on May 14, 1958 in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a widely recognized figure in American baseball. He graduated from New Hanover High School in 1976 and pursued further studies at Liberty University where he received his bachelor's degree in physical education. Furthermore, he holds a master's degree from Clemson University in education administration.

In the early days of his illustrious career, Delmonico served as an assistant coach at Gloucester County College, followed by Clemson University, and eventually Florida State University. His real breakthrough came in 1990 when he was appointed head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, a position he held until 2007. Over this tenure, he amassed a head coaching record of 699 wins to 396 losses.

Not restricting his talents to the US, Delmonico also served as the manager of the Netherlands national baseball team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The many accomplishments of his career include three Southeastern Conference regular season titles (1993, 1994, 1995) and three Southeastern Conference Tournament titles in the same years. Furthermore, in 1995, he was honored with the Baseball America College Coach of the Year Award.

On a personal note, he is a father of three sons, one of whom, Tony, played for his father at Tennessee and later in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. His son Nicky has had a successful career in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox.

Throughout his career, Delmonico was reputed as one of the most influential hitting gurus of the SEC and continues to influence the game through his work at the Hitting Academy.