Feb. 7, 2017

2017 Schedule

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Baseball Time in Tennessee is just 10 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 on February 17 against Memphis at FedEx Park.

TENNESSEE BASEBALL'S NO. 10

1977-80 | Bruce Basham
1972-73*, 77-78 | Wendell Clowers (*Home)
1983-83 | Rich DeLucia
1972 | Mike Demster (Away)
1981-82 | Greg Geren
1965 | David Greene
1987-90 | Allen Halliday
1973 | Bill Hatfield (Away)
1974-76 | Rick Honeycutt
2011 | Tyler Horne
1969 | Steve Light (Home)
1967 | Jim McBride
2013-15 | A.J. Simcox
1991-2007, 16-17 | Larry Simcox
2010 | Cody Stubbs
1970-71*, 73 | Bobby Tucker (*Home)
1969-71 | Steve Wieland (Away)

Need to Know

In February, 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: 10 Days

#10 Larry Simcox

1991-2007, 2016-17 | Assistant Coach

A total of 17 Volunteers have worn No. 10 in Tennessee Baseball history. Among the group is Assistant Coach Larry Simcox, who reclaimed his No. 10 in 2016 after his son and former UT shortstop, A.J. Simcox, signed to play professionally with the Detroit Tigers organization.

With 31 years of coaching experience, including 23 years as an assistant in the Southeastern Conference, Simcox brings a wealth of knowledge to the Tennessee program and a renowned track record of success. Named an assistant coach by Head Coach Dave Serrano in June 2015, Simcox holds the responsibility of hitting instructor, coaching Tennessee's infielders and serving as third base coach for the Volunteers.

Now on Rocky Top for his second stint as an assistant coach, Simcox previously spent 17 seasons as an assistant on the Vols' coaching staff from 1991-2007. During his first term with UT, he proved to be an instrumental piece in Tennessee's postseason successes, including two SEC Championship titles (1994-95) and three appearances in the College World Series in 1995, 2001 and 2005.

In 2016, Simcox coached Tennessee to the top of the SEC leaderboard and into the national ranks. The Vols turned an SEC-leading 58 double plays and finished the season 13th in the country in double plays per game. Tennessee was also the only SEC team to have three players with more than 50 RBI.

Along with team successes, Simcox has also coached more than 100 players who have signed professional baseball contracts in his career, including former Vols Todd Helton, Joe Randa and Chris Burke. Four players, including current New York Yankee Chase Headley, won SEC batting titles under his tutelage, while 15 players have gone on to play in the Major Leagues. Over the course of 18 seasons, Simcox coached 10 first-round draft picks and 26 All-Americans for the Orange & White.

Most recently, Simcox assisted in the development of former Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel who was selected second overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 Major League First-Year Player Draft. During his junior campaign, Senzel led the Vols with 57 runs scored, 74 hits, 25 doubles, 59 RBI, 25 stolen bases and 152 assists. The Knoxville native garnered All-American accolades from four different outlets, was named a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist and earned Second Team ALL-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Third Baseman honors in 2016.

A native of Chattanooga and a longtime resident of the Knoxville area, Simcox was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2013, he was inducted into the Cleveland State Community College Hall of Fame and most-recently, he was recognized by East Ridge High School as its 2014 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

#33 Aric Thomas

2014-17 | Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

Now entering his fourth season at Tennessee, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Aric Thomas arrived on Rocky Top following two stints at Oklahoma, his alma mater.

Since Thomas arrived on campus, the Tennessee program has witnessed an ever-increasing emphasis on recruitment and player development, with four consecutive Top-20 recruiting classes for the Vols. By Perfect Game and D1Baseball.com reports, Tennessee's 2017 signing class ranks 14th in the nation. The Volunteers' newest class was also tabbed No. 18 in the country by Baseball America this fall. UT's 2016 class was ranked No. 15 and its 2015 class earned a No. 12 national ranking by PG, while the 2014 class was named No. 13 in the country by the same outlet.

Thomas' efforts have been critical to the success of the Volunteers not only on the recruiting front, but on the field. His work with Tennessee's outfielders and offense has resulted in three consecutive SEC Tournament appearances (2014-16). The tournament berth marked the first time for the Vols to appear in the league's postseason tournament in three straight seasons since 1995-97.

In 2016, Thomas' first year running the offense, he coached Tennessee to the top of the SEC leaderboard and into the national ranks. The Vols stole an SEC-leading 38 bases and turned an SEC-leading 58 double plays to finish the season 13th in the country in double plays per game. Tennessee was also the only SEC team to have three players record more than 50 RBI.

Under Thomas' tutelage, former Vol outfielder Christin Stewart, who went undrafted out of high school, was selected 34th overall by the Detroit Tigers. While with Tennessee, Stewart became the 11th player in program history to win the "Triple Crown" title by leading the Vols with a .330 batting average, which included five homers and 39 RBI. As a junior in 2015, he hit .311 with eight doubles, two triples, 15 homers, 47 RBI and 39 runs scored. He produced career-best numbers, leading Tennessee's squad in homers, RBI and slugging percentage (.633). The junior also led the conference in times hit by a pitch (15), while he also held the most walks by a Volunteer with 28. Stewart became the first Volunteer to be named a First Team All-SEC player in consecutive years (2014-15) since Tennessee Hall of Famer Chris Burke (2000-01) did so following his record-setting campaigns on Rocky Top.

Most recently, Thomas assisted in the development of former Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel who was selected second overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 Major League First-Year Player Draft after going undrafted out of high school. During his junior campaign, Senzel led the Vols with 57 runs scored, 74 hits, 25 doubles, 59 RBI, 25 stolen bases and 152 assists. The Knoxville native garnered All-American accolades from four different outlets, was named a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist and earned Second Team ALL-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Third Baseman honors in 2016.

Thomas earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from Oklahoma in 1995 and completed his Master's in professional studies in education from Capella University in 2007. Thomas and his wife, Julie, have two children, Chloe Elizabeth and Brett Nathan.