Hochevar, Headley, Lincoln, Adkins, Arencibia love to come back to UT

Four of the five former Tennessee baseball players who were guests at Friday night's 18th annual Leadoff Banquet played a season together as Vols.The fifth played here nine years earlier. All of them say they love to come back to UT.

Former Vols and current professionals Luke Hochevar, Chase Headley, Mike Lincoln, James Adkins and J.P. Arencibia all were guests of honor at Knoxville Convention Center with UT's season set to start in less than two weeks.

"It's a good way for our fans to connect with them and see how they've progressed since they left," said UT coach Todd Raleigh. "It's good for our (current) players, too, because they get to see these guys still care about the program."

Hochevar, Headley, Adkins and Arencibia were big contributors to the last UT team to reach the College World Series in 2005.

"It's one of my fondest baseball memories ever," said Headley.

Coming off his first full season with San Diego, Headley's expected to move back to playing third base - the position he played at UT - from the outfield after the Padres traded starter Kevin Kouzmanoff in January.

"That (UT) team was incredible," Arencibia said. "Nothing but unbelievable memories. I get chills just talking about it."

Arencibia was the catcher for both Hochevar and Adkins in 2005. Toronto picked Arencibia in the first round in 2007. He hit 21 home runs in Class AAA last season.

The bond created from that season keeps the players coming back to Knoxville for parts of their off seasons to train and prepare for their upcoming seasons together.

"We loved the school when we were here, we loved the area," Headley said. "The school lets us come back and work out here. The facilities are second to none."

"Chase and I train every day together in the offseason," said Hochevar, who was taken first overall in the 2006 draft by Kansas City and started 25 games for the Royals in 2009. "That team was really close, and you can tell by the way we stay in touch."

Hochevar went 15-3 and won SEC Pitcher of the Year honors and the Roger Clemens award at UT in 2005.

"Everybody welcomes you here, so you can't really beat that," said Adkins.

Adkins, UT's career strikeouts leader, earned Freshman All-America honors in 2005. He spent last season with the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Class AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who took Adkins in the first round in 2007.

The Mt. Juliet native enjoyed the opportunity to play close to home and UT. His Lookouts are in the same division as the Tennessee Smokies.

Though Lincoln was at UT for one season (1996), the eight-year Major League pitcher, currently with Cincinnati, was working out in the offseason here when the other four players were still at UT.

"I just loved it here when I went to school," Lincoln said.

Patrick Brown is a freelance contributor.