University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Add Pitcher Tyler Coon for Upcoming Season
January 24, 2005 | Baseball
Jan. 24, 2005
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee baseball team has added yet another dependable arm to its already promising pitching staff. Left-handed pitcher Tyler Coon has arrived at UT and is enrolled in classes following an outstanding junior-college career at the Community College of Southern Nevada.
A native of Las Vegas, Nev., Coon has been drafted twice by major league franchises. The San Francisco Giants selected him in the 26th round of the 2003 MLB Draft, and the Cincinnati Reds picked him in the 20th round in 2002.
"Tyler Coon is a guy that brings some great college experience with him to Tennessee," Vols head coach Rod Delmonico said. "He won the junior college national championship game as a freshman, and I'm confident that he can be a special player for us this year.
Coon was a member of the Community College of Southern Nevada pitching staff that guided the Coyotes to a 55-10 record and the NJCAA World Series championship in 2003. After tossing a complete-game 4-1 victory over San Jacinto (Texas) College-North in the national championship game, Coon received the Preston Walker World Series MVP award.
Prior to claiming the national title, the Coyotes also won the 2003 Scenic West Athletic Conference crown, as Coon fashioned a 2.85 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 79.0 innings. His two-year totals at CCSN are highlighted by a 17-6 overall record and a 2.81 ERA. He also tossed six complete games.
As a prep standout at Silverado High School in Las Vegas, Coon helped lead the SkyHawks to the Nevada state title in 2000.
Coon enrolled at the University of Texas during the fall 2004 semester, but ultimately chose to attend Tennessee over Texas and Georgia.
