Sophomore Chase Dollander along with freshmen Chase Burns and Drew Beam continue a streak a Vols that have been invited to the USA CNT in recent years. The talented trio joins Blade Tidwell (2021), Drew Gilbert (2021), and Garrett Crochet (2019) as UT players to either participate or be invited to play for the collegiate national team.
In total, Tennessee has now had 26 current or former players earn an invite to play for Team USA, including six since in the past four years. The Vols have had at least one player earn an invitation in each of the past three summers in which the CNT has played (no team in 2020 due to COVID).
The trifecta of Dollander, Burns and Beam made up UT’s weekend rotation for the majority of the year, helping lead the Vols to their best regular season in program history. The three have combined to post a 25-1 record over 41 starts this season while racking up 263 strikeouts and issuing just 58 walks.
Dollander was voted as the SEC Pitcher of the Year, becoming just the second UT pitcher to ever win that award, joining Luke Hochevar (2005). The Georgia native was also named a first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, becoming the first UT pitcher to do so since Hochevar in 2005. Dollander is also a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.
Burns joined Dollander as a Collegiate Baseball All-American, earning third-team honors. He is the first Tennessee freshman pitcher to earn postseason All-America honors since R.A. Dickey was a consensus first-team selection back in 1994. The Gallatin, Tennessee, native is also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy and was named an All-SEC second team and All-Freshman team selection.
Beam rounds out the group after a stellar freshman campaign that saw him take home SEC Freshman of the Year honors. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native is the first pitcher and just the second player in program history to win the award, joining J.P. Arencibia (2005).
For more information on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, visit USABaseball.com.
