Tegan Kuhns tried to play it cool when he saw his head coach calling before Opening Day.
At the time, he was lying in bed when Tennessee coach Josh Elander told the sophomore right-hander he would get the start to open the 2026 season.
“He goes, ‘Dude, you ready to leave us in charge on Friday?’” Kuhns recalled. “I was like, ‘Hell yeah. Hell yeah.’”
Still, the moment carried more weight than Kuhns initially let on.
“To be honest, I almost cried right when I heard it,” he said. “That’s everything I’ve dreamed of.”
For Kuhns, getting the ball to open the season meant validation after an offseason focused on growth and development. In fact, he said the opportunity “meant absolutely everything to me.”
“It was a pleasure by E that he could trust me in doing that,” he said. “So, it was awesome. It was everything I expected.”
By the time game day arrived, Kuhns described feeling anxious rather than nervous.
“I wouldn’t say nerves,” he said. “I was really anxious. I was just ready to go. I was just thinking about it the whole day.”
Later, in the top of the seventh inning, Tennessee turned to the bullpen.
Kuhns’ first outing of the season ended after 6 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts.
As Nic Abraham came on in relief, Kuhns walked off the field surrounded by teammates, taking in the moment.
“Oh, it was unbelievable,” Kuhns said. “The fans, too. I had to show a little bit of love, too.”
Beyond the personal milestone, Kuhns said helping deliver Elander’s first win as head coach added another layer of meaning.
“It was absolutely amazing,” he said. “It was everything I expected to do and I just want to win for that guy, man. He loves his players. He loves his players.”
Ultimately, for Kuhns, Opening Day was not just the start of a season. Rather, it was the fulfillment of a dream, earned through trust, preparation, and a phone call he will not forget.
