Florida Gators baseball
| Florida Gators baseball | |
|---|---|
 2024 Florida Gators baseball team | |
 | |
| Founded | 1912 |
| University | University of Florida |
| Athletic director | Scott Stricklin |
| Head coach | Kevin O'Sullivan (17th season) |
| Conference | SEC |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Home stadium | Condron Ballpark (Capacity: 7,000) |
| Nickname | Gators |
| Colors | Orange and blue[1] |
| NCAA Tournament champions | |
| 2017 | |
| College World Series runner-up | |
| 2005, 2011, 2023 | |
| College World Series appearances | |
| 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024 | |
| NCAA regional champions | |
| 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 1958, 1960, 1962, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | |
| Conference tournament champions | |
| 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1991, 2011, 2015 | |
| Regular season conference champions | |
| 1952, 1956, 1962, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2023 | |
The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball. Florida competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They play their home games in Condron Ballpark on the university's Gainesville, Florida, campus, and are currently led by head coach Kevin O'Sullivan. In the 105-season history of the Florida baseball program, the team has won 16 SEC championships and has appeared in 14 College World Series tournaments. The Gators won their first national championship in 2017.
History
[edit]The modern University of Florida was created in 1905 when the Florida Legislature passed the Buckman Act, and thereby consolidated the university's four predecessor institutions into the new "University of the State of Florida." The university fielded its first varsity baseball team, and enjoyed its first winning baseball season, in 1912.[2]
During most of Florida baseball's early existence, the new university's athletic association suffered from a lack of financial resources, and few of the head baseball coaches were full-time baseball coaches. William G. Kline was also the athletic director, head football coach, and head basketball coach; James L. White was Florida's athletic director and head basketball coach; Brady Cowell, Ben Clemons and Lewie Hardage were assistant football coaches; and Sam McAllister was the head basketball coach and an assistant football coach. A notable exception was Lance Richbourg, who was a Florida alumnus and a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Boston Braves and others, and led the Gators to an impressive 39–21 overall record (a .650 winning percentage) in 1922, 1923 and 1926. McAllister was the Gators' last pre-World War II coach, and he returned from military service to lead the Gators baseball team again in 1946 and 1947.[2]
Fuller era: (1948–1975)
[edit]The modern post-war era of the Florida Baseball program began with head coach Dave Fuller assuming control in 1948. Fuller was originally hired as a physical education instructor in 1946, and also served as an assistant football coach under four different Gators head coaches. Ultimately, he became the longest-serving Gators head coach in any sport, and won more games than any other Gators coach, after leading the Gators baseball team for 28 seasons. Fuller brought stability and consistency to the program, and his Gators teams won SEC championships in 1952, 1956 and 1962, and made appearances in the NCAA tournament in 1958, 1960 and 1962. His final record was 557–354–6 (.611).[2]
Bergman era: (1976–1981)
[edit]Fuller's successor, Jay Bergman, advanced the Florida baseball program a step further. After a difficult transition season in 1976, Bergman's Gators showed marked improvement, winning an SEC championship and SEC tournament title in 1981. His teams also qualified for the NCAA regionals in 1977, 1979 and 1981, and compiled a 7–6 tournament record, but in each instance did not advance beyond the double-elimination opening round of the NCAA tournament. In his six seasons as the Gators' skipper, Bergman posted an overall win–loss record of 216–113 (.657)—the best multi-season winning percentage until that time, and still the second best in Gators baseball history.[2]
Arnold era: (1984–1994)
[edit]Joe Arnold followed Jack Rhines' short two-season stint as Florida's head coach. Arnold's Gators won SEC championships in 1984 and 1988, and SEC tournament titles in 1984, 1988 and 1991. His teams made seven appearances in the NCAA tournament, and for the first and second time ever, the Gators advanced to the College World Series in 1988 and 1991. In 11 seasons coaching the Gators, Arnold compiled an overall record of 434–244–2 (.640).[2]
Lopez era: (1995–2000)
[edit]Andy Lopez took over the program in 1995, two seasons removed from leading the Pepperdine Waves of Pepperdine University to their only national championship in the 1992 College World Series. In his second season as Florida's head coach in 1996, he led the Gators to a 50-win season and the semifinals of the College World Series. In 2000 and 2001, however, the Gators were eliminated in the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, and Lopez was replaced. In seven seasons, Lopez posted an overall record of 278–159–1 (.636).[2]
McMahon era: (2001–2007)
[edit]Pat McMahon became Florida's baseball coach in 2001, after coaching the Mississippi State Bulldogs for the four preceding seasons.[3][4]
Early in the 2003 season, the Gators began to make a comeback with several freshly scouted prospects, including Andy Ramirez (first base) David Headage (right field), and Randy Thompson (shortstop). The 2003 season set the standard for the next two years of baseball, entering the NCAA tournament in both the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The 2005 season was the best in school history, as the team won the SEC championship and advanced to the College World Series for the first time in seven years, ultimately losing to the Texas Longhorns, two games to none in the final championship round of the Series.
The expectations for the Gators were high in 2006; they were the consensus No. 1 team in the preseason polls, but the team struggled through the 2006 season.[3] The Gators found themselves one game under .500 (26–27) heading into their final series against the LSU Tigers in Gainesville. The team surprisingly won two of the three games to finish the season at .500 (28–28). The Gators' 10–20 SEC record was the second worst in the conference, and they did not qualify for the SEC Tournament, nor were they selected for the NCAA regionals.
After missing the NCAA regionals again in 2007, McMahon was fired on June 7, 2007.[5] McMahon finished his six seasons as the Gators' head coach with an overall record of 202–113–1 (.641).[2]
O'Sullivan era: (2008–present)
[edit]Kevin O'Sullivan became the head coach of the Florida baseball team following the 2007 season.[6][7] In each of his first four seasons, O'Sullivan's Gators improved their overall record and SEC standing.[7] In 2008, his first season as the Gators' skipper, the team finished 34–24 overall, 17–13 in SEC play, and in second place in the SEC Eastern Division standings.[7] In 2009, the Gators compiled an overall record of 42–22, 19–11 in the SEC, and in first place in the SEC Eastern Division.[7] O'Sullivan's 2010 Gators finished with an overall win–loss record of 47–17, 22–8 in SEC play, and SEC regular season champions.[7] In each of his first three seasons, his Gators also showed post-season improvement, too: early elimination in the NCAA regional in 2008; progressing to the NCAA Super Regional in 2009; and a berth in the College World Series in 2010.[2]
In 2011, Florida finished the regular season 41–15 overall, 22–8 in the SEC, and SEC regular season co-champions—sharing the regular season conference title with the South Carolina Gamecocks and Vanderbilt Commodores.[8] After defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and Vanderbilt Commodores to win the SEC tournament, the Gators received the overall No. 2 seed in the sixty-four team NCAA tournament.[9] The Gators swept the NCAA regional three games to none, and beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs two games to one in the NCAA Super Regional, and advanced to the 2011 College World Series.[10] By beating the seventh-seeded Texas Longhorns 8–4 in the opening game of the 2011 Series, and then defeating the sixth-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores twice, 3–1 and 6–4, the Gators earned a berth in the best-of-three College World Series championship finals.[11] In the championship finals, the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Gators in two straight games, 2–1 and 5–2; the Gators finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 53–19—the most games the Gators have ever won in a single season.[12]
Florida finished the 2012 regular season with a record of 40–16, and were selected as the No. 1 seed in the 2012 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. Jonathon Crawford pitched the seventh no-hitter in NCAA tournament history against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in the opening round of the Gainesville Regional.[13] The Gators swept the double-elimination regional tournament in three straight wins over Bethune-Cookman (4–0) and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6–1, 15–3), and then swept the NC State Wolfpack in two straight games to win the best-of-three Gainesville Super Regional (7–1, 9–8) and earn a bid to the 2012 College World Series.[14] The 2012 season came to an abrupt end in the College World Series, as the Gators lost their first two games to the South Carolina Gamecocks 7–3 and the Kent State Golden Flashes 5–4.[15]
Florida returned to the College World Series for the ninth time in 2015 and for the tenth time in 2016. The Gators made their 11th College World Series in 2017, finally breaking through and winning their first national championship after sweeping LSU two games to none in the championship series. They returned to the College World Series in 2018 to defend their title, but fell to Arkansas in the semifinals. After an up-and-down 2019 campaign, the 2020 Gators got off to a school-best 16–1 start before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stadium facilities
[edit]Condron Ballpark at Alfred A. McKethan Field is the home field for the Florida baseball team. The playing surface is named for Florida alumnus Alfred A. McKethan and is located on the University of Florida's Gainesville campus. The stadium includes seating for approximately 7,000 fans (expandable to 10,000), a press box, locker rooms and coaching staff offices. The ballpark replaced Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field after the 2020 season.
Home plate faces northeast with the sun behind the stadium to provide shade for fans. A 360-degree open concourse allows fans a constant field view. Permanent chairback seats accommodate 4,000 spectators, with 700 club seats, berm capacity of over 2,000, and an option to temporarily expand capacity to around 10,000. The new ballpark is adjacent to Pressly Softball Stadium and Dizney Stadium for lacrosse.[16] McKethan Stadium was demolished to make way for the James W. "Bill" Heavener Complex, a football training facility.[17]
Head coaches
[edit]
| Year(s) | Coach | Seasons | W–L–T | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Dougal M. Buie | 1 | ? | |
| 1912 | H. D. McLeod | 1 | 9–4–2 | .667 |
| 1913 | R. P. Hoffman | 1 | 11–9–1 | .548 |
| 1914–1916 | Pat Flaherty | 3 | 15–28–1 | .352 |
| 1917 | Hugh Wicher | 1 | 8–3–0 | .727 |
| 1919–1920 | Artie Phelan | 2 | 14–16–1 | .468 |
| 1921 | William G. Kline | 1 | 4–10–0 | .300 |
| 1922–1923, 1926 | Lance Richbourg | 3 | 39–21–0 | .650 |
| 1924 | Rex Farrior | 1 | 5–14–0 | .263 |
| 1925 | James L. White | 1 | 3–6–0 | .333 |
| 1927–1933 | Brady Cowell | 7 | 61–65–2 | .484 |
| 1934–1936 | Ben Clemons | 3 | 20–29–1 | .410 |
| 1937–1939 | Lewie Hardage | 3 | 35–24–1 | .592 |
| 1940–1942, 1946–1947 | Sam J. McAllister | 5 | 40–56–4 | .420 |
| 1945 | Bob Pitman | 1 | 2–9–0 | .182 |
| 1948–1975 | Dave Fuller | 28 | 556–356–6 | .609 |
| 1976–1981 | Jay Bergman | 6 | 217–113–0 | .658 |
| 1982–1983 | Jack Rhine | 2 | 72–39–1 | .647 |
| 1984–1994 | Joe Arnold | 11 | 434–244–2 | .640 |
| 1995–2001 | Andy Lopez | 7 | 278–159–1 | .636 |
| 2002–2007 | Pat McMahon | 6 | 231–143–1 | .617 |
| 2008–present | Kevin O'Sullivan | 17 | 717–349–0 | .673 |
| Totals | 21 | 110 | 2,786–1,690–24 | .622 |
Year-by-year results
[edit]| Year | Coach | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | H. D. McLeod | 9–4–2 | |
| 1913 | R. P. Hoffman | 11–9–1 | |
| 1914 | Pat Flaherty | 2–8 | |
| 1915 | Pat Flaherty | 4–6–1 | |
| 1916 | Pat Flaherty | 9–15 | |
| 1917 | Hugh Wicher | 8–3 | |
| No games played in 1918 due to World War I | |||
| 1919 | Artie Phelan | 7–5 | |
| 1920 | Artie Phelan | 7–11–1 | |
| 1921 | William Kline | 4–10 | |
| 1922 | Lance Richbourg | 15–5 | |
| 1923 | Lance Richbourg | 10–9 | |
| 1924 | Rex Farrior | 5–14 | |
| 1925 | James White | 3–6 | |
| 1926 | Lance Richbourg | 14–7 | |
| 1927 | Brady Cowell | 8–14 | |
| 1928 | Brady Cowell | 6–14–1 | |
| 1929 | Brady Cowell | 4–9 | |
| 1930 | Brady Cowell | 9–8 | |
| 1931 | Brady Cowell | 11–10 | |
| 1932 | Brady Cowell | 12–8 | |
| 1933 | Brady Cowell | 11–2–1 | |
| 1934 | Ben Clemons | 6–7 | |
| 1935 | Ben Clemons | 7–13–1 | |
| 1936 | Ben Clemons | 7–9 | |
| 1937 | Lee Hardage | 10–7–1 | |
| 1938 | Lee Hardage | 14–9 | |
| 1939 | Lee Hardage | 11–8 | |
| 1940 | Sam J. McAllister | 8–11 | |
| 1941 | Sam J. McAllister | 8–7 | |
| 1942 | Sam J. McAllister | 6–6 | |
| No games played in 1943–44 due to World War II | |||
| 1945 | Bob Pittman | 2–9 | |
| 1946 | Sam J. McAllister | 4–17–2 | |
| 1947 | Sam J. McAllister | 14–15 | |
| 1948 | Dave Fuller | 10–14–1 | |
| 1949 | Dave Fuller | 17–13 | |
| 1950 | Dave Fuller | 20–9 | |
| 1951 | Dave Fuller | 16–9 | |
| 1952 | Dave Fuller | 21–4–2 | |
| 1953 | Dave Fuller | 13–7–1 | |
| 1954 | Dave Fuller | 12–10 | |
| 1955 | Dave Fuller | 20–4 | |
| 1956 | Dave Fuller | 13–11 | |
| 1957 | Dave Fuller | 17–7 | |
| 1958 | Dave Fuller | 17–7 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1959 | Dave Fuller | 13–8 | |
| 1960 | Dave Fuller | 18–14 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1961 | Dave Fuller | 9–9 | |
| 1962 | Dave Fuller | Eliminated in Regionals | |
| 1963 | Dave Fuller | 25–10–1 | |
| 1964 | Dave Fuller | 30–9 | |
| 1965 | Dave Fuller | 23–11 | |
| 1966 | Dave Fuller | 20–13 | |
| 1967 | Dave Fuller | 29–8 | |
| 1968 | Dave Fuller | 25–13 | |
| 1969 | Dave Fuller | 28–17 | |
| 1970 | Dave Fuller | 27–17 | |
| 1971 | Dave Fuller | 19–26 | |
| 1972 | Dave Fuller | 23–21 | |
| 1973 | Dave Fuller | 23–21 | |
| 1974 | Dave Fuller | 23–20–1 | |
| 1975 | Dave Fuller | 23–25 | |
| 1976 | Jay Bergman | 21–27 | |
| 1977 | Jay Bergman | 39–18 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1978 | Jay Bergman | 34–15 | |
| 1979 | Jay Bergman | 40–20 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1980 | Jay Bergman | 40–16 | |
| 1981 | Jay Bergman | 42–17 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1982 | Jack Rhine | 34–25–1 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1983 | Jack Rhine | 38–14 | |
| 1984 | Joe Arnold | 43–16–1 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1985 | Joe Arnold | 43–18 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1986 | Joe Arnold | 27–26 | |
| 1987 | Joe Arnold | 32–24 | |
| 1988 | Joe Arnold | 48–19–1 | Eliminated in CWS |
| 1989 | Joe Arnold | 44–22 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1990 | Joe Arnold | 29–30 | |
| 1991 | Joe Arnold | 51–21 | CWS Semifinals |
| 1992 | Joe Arnold | 44–20 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1993 | Joe Arnold | 33–25 | |
| 1994 | Joe Arnold | 40–23 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1995 | Andy Lopez | 32–24 | |
| 1996 | Andy Lopez | 50–18 | CWS Semifinals |
| 1997 | Andy Lopez | 40–24 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 1998 | Andy Lopez | 46–18 | Eliminated in CWS |
| 1999 | Andy Lopez | 31–25 | |
| 2000 | Andy Lopez | 44–23–1 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2001 | Andy Lopez | 35–27 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2002 | Pat McMahon | 46–19 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2003 | Pat McMahon | 37–21–1 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2004 | Pat McMahon | 43–22 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2005 | Pat McMahon | 48–23 | CWS Championship Series |
| 2006 | Pat McMahon | 28–28 | |
| 2007 | Pat McMahon | 29–30 | |
| 2008 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 34–24 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2009 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 42–22 | Eliminated in Super Regionals |
| 2010 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 47–17 | Eliminated in CWS |
| 2011 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 53–19 | CWS Championship Series |
| 2012 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 47–20 | Eliminated in CWS |
| 2013 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 29–30 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2014 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 40–23 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2015 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–18 | CWS Semifinals |
| 2016 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–16 | Eliminated in CWS |
| 2017 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–19 | College World Series Champions |
| 2018 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 49–21 | CWS Semifinals |
| 2019 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 34–26 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2020 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 16–1 | Remainder of season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 38–22 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2022 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 42–24 | Eliminated in Regionals |
| 2023 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 54–17 | CWS Championship Series |
| 2024 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 36–30 | CWS Semifinals |
College World Series appearances
[edit]The Florida Gators have reached the College World Series 14 different times, including three consecutive trips from 2010 to 2012 and four consecutive trips from 2015 to 2018 under Kevin O'Sullivan.
| Season | Coach | Record | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Joe Arnold | 48–19–1 | Lost to Wichita State, def. California, eliminated by Arizona State |
| 1991 | Joe Arnold | 51–21 | Lost to LSU, def. Florida State, def. Fresno State, eliminated by LSU |
| 1996 | Andy Lopez | 50–18 | Def. Florida State, lost to LSU, def. Florida State, eliminated by LSU |
| 1998 | Andy Lopez | 46–18 | Lost to Mississippi State, eliminated by USC |
| 2005 | Pat McMahon | 48–23 | Def. Tennessee, def. Nebraska, def. Arizona State; lost to Texas two games to none in the CWS Championship Series |
| 2010 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 47–17 | Lost to UCLA, eliminated by Florida State |
| 2011 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 53–19 | Def. Texas, def. Vanderbilt twice; lost to South Carolina two games to none in the CWS Championship Series |
| 2012 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 47–20 | Lost to South Carolina, eliminated by Kent State |
| 2015 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–18 | Def. Miami (FL), lost to Virginia, def. Miami (FL), def. Virginia, eliminated by Virginia |
| 2016 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–16 | Lost to Coastal Carolina, eliminated by Texas Tech |
| 2017 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–19 | Def. TCU, def. Louisville, lost to TCU, def. TCU, def. LSU two games to none in the CWS Championship Series |
| 2018 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 49–21 | Lost to Texas Tech, def. Texas, def. Texas Tech, eliminated by Arkansas |
| 2023 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 54–17 | Def. Virginia, def. Oral Roberts, def. TCU, lost to LSU two games to one in the CWS Championship Series |
| 2024 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 36–30 | Lost to Texas A&M, def. NC State, def. Kentucky, eliminated by Texas A&M |
| Total NCAA College World Series appearances: 14 | |||
Florida in the NCAA tournament
[edit]- The NCAA Division I baseball tournament started in 1947.
- The format of the tournament has changed through the years.
| Season | Record | Percentage | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Clemson |
| 1960 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by North Carolina |
| 1962 | 1–3 | .250 | Eliminated by Florida State |
| 1977 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Minnesota |
| 1979 | 2–2 | .500 | Eliminated by Delaware |
| 1981 | 3–2 | .600 | Coral Gables Regional: Eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals |
| 1982 | 0–2 | .000 | Eliminated by Stetson |
| 1984 | 0–2 | .000 | Eliminated by South Alabama |
| 1985 | 3–2 | .600 | Coral Gables Regional: Eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals |
| 1988 | 1–2 | .333 | Tallahassee Regional: Won over George Mason, Tulane, Florida State, and Stetson College World Series: Eliminated by Arizona State |
| 1989 | 1–2 | .333 | Eliminated by Miami (FL) |
| 1991 | 2–2 | .500 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Furman, Jacksonville and NC State College World Series: Eliminated by LSU |
| 1992 | 1–2 | .333 | Eliminated by Texas A&M |
| 1994 | 3–2 | .600 | Coral Gables Regional: Eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals |
| 1996 | 2–2 | .500 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Bucknell, NC State, South Florida and UMass College World Series: Eliminated by LSU |
| 1997 | 2–2 | .500 | Coral Gables Regional: Eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals |
| 1998 | 8–2 | .800 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Monmouth, Richmond, Wake Forest and Illinois College World Series: Lost to Mississippi State and USC |
| 2000 | 3–2 | .600 | Waco Regional: Lost to San Jose State, defeated Baylor and Southwest Texas State, lost to San Jose State in the Regional Finals (1–1) |
| 2001 | 1–2 | .333 | Coral Gables Regional: Defeated Stetson, lost to Miami (FL), eliminated by Stetson |
| 2002 | 3–2 | .600 | Gainesville Regional: Defeated Bethune–Cookman, lost to Miami (FL), defeated Bethune Cookman, Eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals (1–1) |
| 2003 | 3–2 | .600 | Coral Gables Regional: Lost to Florida Atlantic, defeated Bethune–Cookman and Florida Atlantic, eliminated by Miami (FL) in the Regional Finals (1–1) |
| 2004 | 3–2 | .600 | Oklahoma City Regional: Won over Central Connecticut and UCLA Coral Gables Super Regional: Lost to Miami (FL) (0–2) |
| 2005 | 8–3 | .727 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Stetson, North Carolina and Notre Dame Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Florida State (2–0) College World Series: Defeated Tennessee, Nebraska and Arizona State, College World Series Finals: Lost to Texas in the Championship Series (0–2). |
| 2008 | 0–2 | .000 | Tallahassee Regional: Lost to Tulane and Florida State |
| 2009 | 3–2 | .600 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Bethune–Cookman and Miami (FL) Gainesville Super Regional: Lost to Southern Miss (0–2) |
| 2010 | 5–2 | .714 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Bethune–Cookman, Oregon State and Florida Atlantic Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Miami (FL) (2–0) College World Series: Lost to UCLA and Florida State in the College World Series |
| 2011 | 8–3 | .727 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Manhattan and Miami (FL) Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Mississippi State (2–1) College World Series: Defeated Texas and Vanderbilt, College World Series Finals: Lost to South Carolina in the Championship Series (0–2) |
| 2012 | 5–2 | .714 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Bethune–Cookman and Georgia Tech Gainesville Super Regional: Won over NC State (2–0) College World Series: Lost to South Carolina and Kent State |
| 2013 | 0–2 | .000 | Bloomington Regional: Lost to Austin Peay and Valparaiso |
| 2014 | 0–2 | .000 | Gainesville Regional: Lost to College of Charleston and North Carolina |
| 2015 | 8–2 | .800 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Florida A&M, South Florida, and Florida Atlantic Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Florida State (2–0) College World Series: Defeated Miami (FL) twice, eliminated by Virginia two games to one |
| 2016 | 5–3 | .625 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Bethune–Cookman, Connecticut, and Georgia Tech Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Florida State (2–1) College World Series: Lost to Coastal Carolina and Texas Tech |
| 2017 | 10–3 | .769 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Marist and South Florida, defeated Bethune–Cookman in the Regional Finals (1–1) Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Wake Forest (2–1) College World Series: Defeated TCU and Louisville College World Series Finals: defeated LSU in the Championship Series (2–0) |
| 2018 | 7–4 | .636 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Columbia and Jacksonville, defeated Florida Atlantic in the Regional Finals (1–1) Gainesville Super Regional: Won over Auburn (2–1) College World Series: Lost to Texas Tech, defeated Texas and Texas Tech, eliminated by Arkansas in the national semifinals |
| 2019 | 1–2 | .333 | Lubbock Regional: Lost to Dallas Baptist, defeated Army, eliminated by Dallas Baptist |
| 2021 | 0–2 | .000 | Gainesville Regional: Lost to South Florida and South Alabama |
| 2022 | 3–2 | .600 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Central Michigan, lost to Oklahoma, won over Central Michigan, eliminated by Oklahoma in the Regional Finals (1–1) |
| 2023 | 10–3 | .769 | Gainesville Regional: Won over Florida A&M, lost to Texas Tech, won over Connecticut, defeated Texas Tech in the Regional Finals (2–0) Gainesville Super Regional: Won over South Carolina (2–0) College World Series: Won over Virginia, Won over Oral Roberts, Won over TCU College World Series Finals: Lost to LSU in the Championship Series (1–2) |
| 2024 | 8–3 | .727 | Stillwater Regional: Won over Nebraska, lost to Oklahoma State, won over Nebraska, defeated Oklahoma State in the Regional Finals (2–0) Clemson Super Regional: Won over Clemson (2–0) College World Series: Lost to Texas A&M, won over NC State, won over Kentucky, eliminated by Texas A&M |
| Total NCAA tournament Appearances: 39 | |||
Championships
[edit]National championships
[edit]Florida won its first national championship in 2017, sweeping rival LSU in the CWS Championship Series to emerge victorious in the school's third CWS Finals appearance.
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The Gators have also reached the College World Series Championship Series three additional times.
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SEC regular season championships
[edit]The Gators have won a total of 16 SEC regular season championships, second most among the 14 current SEC members. Their most recent title came in 2023 under Kevin O'Sullivan.
| Season | Coach | Overall record | SEC record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Dave Fuller | 21–4–2 | 12–2–1 |
| 1956 | Dave Fuller | 20–4 | 13–3 |
| 1962 | Dave Fuller | 25–10–1 | 14–3 |
| 1981 | Jay Bergman | 42–17 | 16–7 |
| 1982 | Jack Rhyne | 34–25–1 | 14–8 |
| 1984 | Joe Arnold | 43–16–1 | 18–4 |
| 1988 | Joe Arnold | 48–19–1 | 21–6 |
| 1996 | Andy Lopez | 50–18 | 20–10 |
| 1998 | Andy Lopez | 46–18 | 21–8 |
| 2005 | Pat McMahon | 48–23 | 20–10 |
| 2010 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 47–17 | 22–8 |
| 2011 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 53–19 | 22–8 |
| 2014 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 40–23 | 21–9 |
| 2017 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 52–19 | 21–9 |
| 2018 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 49–21 | 20–10 |
| 2023 | Kevin O'Sullivan | 54–17 | 20–10 |
| SEC regular season championships: | 16 | ||
SEC Tournament championships
[edit]The Gators have won seven SEC Tournament championships, third most among the SEC's current 14 members. However, after winning five in 11 years from 1981 to 1991, it was 20 years before Kevin O'Sullivan led the Gators to their sixth SEC Tournament Championship in 2011.
| Season | Coach | Opponent | Score | Site | Overall record | SEC record | Tournament record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Jay Bergman | Kentucky | 11–5 | Starkville, MS | 42–17 | 16–7 | 3–0 |
| 1982 | Jack Rhyne | Tennessee | 9–3 | Gainesville, FL | 34–25–1 | 14–8 | 3–1 |
| 1984 | Joe Arnold | Tennessee | 3–1 | Gainesville, FL | 43–16–1 | 18–4 | 3–1 |
| 1988 | Joe Arnold | Mississippi State | 5–3 | Starkville, MS | 48–19–1 | 21–6 | 4–1 |
| 1991 | Joe Arnold | Louisiana State | 8–4 | Baton Rouge, LA | 51–21 | 16–8 | 4–0 |
| 2011 | Kevin O'Sullivan | Vanderbilt | 5–0 | Hoover, AL | 53–19 | 22–8 | 4–1 |
| 2015 | Kevin O'Sullivan | Vanderbilt | 7–3 | Hoover, AL | 52–18 | 19–11 | 4–1 |
| SEC Tournament championships: | 7 | ||||||
Player awards
[edit]National awards
[edit]- Mike Zunino (2012)
- Brady Singer (2018)
- Mike Zunino (2012)
- Mike Zunino (2012)
- Brad Wilkerson (1998)
- Brandon McArthur (2009)
- Brian Johnson (2012)
- JJ Schwarz (2015)
SEC Awards
[edit]- Matt LaPorta (2005, 2007)
- Mike Zunino (2011)
- Justin Hoyman (2004)
- Brady Singer (2018)
- Preston Tucker (2009)
- Austin Maddox (2010)
- Austin Cousino (2012)
- Logan Shore (2014)
Florida's first Team All-Americans
[edit]| Player | Position | Year(s) | Selectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernie Parrish | Second Base | 1958† | ABCA |
| Perry McGriff | First Base | 1959† | ABCA |
| Tom Moore | Third Base | 1962†, 1963† | ABCA, BA |
| Marc Sullivan | Catcher | 1979 | SN |
| Rodney Brewer | First Base | 1987 | SN |
| John Burke | Pitcher | 1991 | BA |
| David Eckstein | Second Base | 1996 | NCBWA |
| Brad Wilkerson | UT/ATH | 1996, 1997, 1998† | NCBWA, BA, CB |
| Josh Fogg | Pitcher | 1998† | BA, CB |
| Justin Hoyman | Pitcher | 2004 | ABCA, CB |
| Matt LaPorta | First Base | 2005†, 2007 | ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA |
| Mike Zunino | Catcher | 2011†, 2012† | ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA |
| Brian Johnson | Utility player | 2012 | NCBWA |
| Source:"SEC All-Americas". secsports.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
ABCA: American Baseball Coaches Association BA: Baseball America CB: Collegiate Baseball NCBWA: National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association SN: Sporting News † Denotes consensus All-American | |||
Former players in Major League Baseball
[edit]Many former Florida Gator baseball players have gone on to play in Major League Baseball and other professional leagues. As of 2015, over 170 UF alumni have been chosen in the Major League Baseball draft and over 60 players have appeared in a Major League game. The first was Lance Richbourg, who made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1921. Other notable alumni include 1953 American League MVP Al Rosen, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, 2019 All-MLB First Team Pete Alonso, 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, 2021 Gold Glove Award winner Harrison Bader, and former Boston Red Sox managing general partner Haywood Sullivan.[18][19]
See also
[edit]
- Florida Gators
- List of Florida Gators baseball players
- List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
- List of University of Florida Olympians
References
[edit]- ^ "UF Identity Style Guide". March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h 2011 Florida Gators Baseball Media Supplement Archived 2011-09-02 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 93–94, 95–97, 98–101, 112–125 (2011). Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ a b GatorZone.com, Baseball History, 2007 Roster, Pat McMahon Archived 2011-09-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ "Pat McMahon Hired As Florida Baseball Coach," GatorZone.com (June 13, 2001). Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ Brandon Zimmerman, "UF fires McMahon Archived 2017-06-21 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (June 7, 2007). Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ Brandon Zimmerman, "UF selects baseball coach Archived 2007-09-22 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (June 13, 2007). Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e GatorZone.com, Baseball Coaching & Support Staff, Kevin O'Sullivan Archived 2011-09-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
- ^ Robbie Andreu, "Florida baseball claims share of SEC title with blowout Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (May 21, 2011). Retrieved May 24, 2011.
- ^ "Florida draws Miami, Jacksonville and Manhattan in Gainesville Archived 2012-03-11 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (May 31, 2011). Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ Kevin Brockway, "Gators make it back to Omaha with comeback win over Bulldogs Archived 2011-06-16 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (June 12, 2011). Retrieved June 12, 2011.
- ^ Pat Dooley, "Florida beats Vanderbilt to reach CWS championship series," The Gainesville Sun (June 24, 2011). Retrieved June 24, 2011.
- ^ Pat Dooley, "Gators' season ends with sweep by Gamecocks in title series Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine," The Gainesville Sun (June 28, 2011). Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ "Jonathon Crawford Tosses 7th No-Hitter In NCAA Tourney History As No. 1 Florida Blanks B-CU, 4–0 Archived 2012-06-04 at the Wayback Machine," GatorZone.com (June 1, 2012). Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ^ Pat Dooley, "Gators headed back to Omaha," The Gainesville Sun (June 10, 2012). Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ^ Pat Dooley, "Gators gone in a Flash," The Gainesville Sun (June 18, 2012). Retrieved June 18, 2012.
- ^ "Florida Ballpark at McKethan Field Nears Completion". Florida Gators. 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
- ^ Carter, Scott. "FLORIDA ANNOUNCES TIMELINE FOR UPGRADES TO SOFTBALL, NEW BASEBALL FACILITY AND NEW STAND-ALONE FOOTBALL TRAINING COMPLEX". floridagators.com. University Athletic Assoc., Inc., Fox Sports Sun, IMG College. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Florida Gators Baseball 2015 Media Guide" (PDF). University of Florida Athletic Association. 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Ten Gators Featured on MLB Opening Day Rosters". University of Florida Athletic Association. 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
