BREAKING: Florida Gators All-Time Winningest Head Baseball Coach Takes Leave of Absence Effective Immediately
By Space Coast Daily // October 22, 2025
Kevin O'Sullivan's overall record is 585-278
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – University of Florida Head Baseball Coach Kevin O’Sullivan will take a leave of absence from his coaching duties to address personal matters, effective immediately.
The announcement was made on Wednesday as team continues preparations for the 2026 schedule.
During O’Sullivan’s absence, Chuck Jeroloman will assume leadership of the baseball program on an interim basis.
“I appreciate the support of the University and athletic department, “said O’Sullivan. “I have some personal and family issues that need my full attention at this time.”
“Coach O’Sullivan has our full support as he takes the time he needs to focus on personal matters,” said Athletics Director Scott Stricklin. “We appreciate his openness in communicating this decision, and respect his need for privacy.”
Kevin O’Sullivan and his staff have transformed the Gators into the marquee program in all of college baseball, winning the program’s first national title in 2017 and turning the Orange & Blue into a regular at the College World Series in Omaha with nine trips in 15 postseasons since 2010 – by far the most in the nation. Since O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival in Gainesville, no college program has produced more MLB players, College World Series trips, Super Regionals hosted, top-eight national seeds and NCAA Tournament bids than the Florida Gators. O’Sullivan concluded the 2025 season with a program-record 755 career victories, having eclipsed Dave Fuller’s previous school record of 556 wins on March 9, 2021.
During a tenure marked by tireless recruiting and fundamental coaching, O’Sullivan has overseen the Orange and Blue’s progression up the national ladder, punctuated by seven trips to the NCAA College World Series in the 2010s and back-to-back appearances from 2023-24. Florida’s nine trips to Omaha since O’Sullivan’s first season in 2008 leads the nation.
Florida has earned a national seed for the NCAA tournament 12 times in the 17 full seasons under O’Sullivan, more than any other school in that span. UF is the only school in the country to earn the No. 1 overall seed three times, having done so in 2012, 2016 and 2018. The Gators’ 17-season NCAA Tournament streak is also the second-longest active streak in the nation.
The Gators have won six Southeastern Conference titles (2010-11-14-17-18-23) and seven SEC Eastern Division titles under O’Sullivan, most recently doing so in 2023 with a program-record 54 wins. In SEC regular season play, Florida’s 305 wins and .599 winning percentage since O’Sullivan’s arrival both lead the conference.
Florida has dominated all of its rivalries during O’Sullivan’s tenure, none more so than the ones with Florida State and Miami. Under O’Sullivan, the Gators are 80-42 against FSU and Miami (.656). The gulf between the three programs is even wider since 2010, with the Gators holding a 74-33 record (.692). Adding Georgia to the mix, Florida is 107-62 against its three primary rivals under O’Sullivan (.633).
Lengthy Stretches of Dominance
Prior to O’Sullivan’s arrival, the stretch of seasons from 1996-98 was often pointed to as the best run in Gators history, with those teams being a combined 136-60 (.694) with CWS appearances in 1996 and 1998, a pair of SEC titles (’96 and ’98), and three SEC East crowns.
Florida has outdone that twice under O’Sullivan.
The four-year stretch from 2015-2018 is perhaps the best in program history, as the Gators compiled a 205-72 (.740) record, two SEC titles, and advanced to the CWS all four years with a national title in 2017. For the first time ever, Florida won more than 50 games for three-consecutive years, notching 52 wins each season from 2015-17. The four consecutive trips to Omaha put Florida on a list of just five programs with four straight CWS appearances since the tournament expanded to 64 teams. In addition, UF became the first school since the 1990s to reach the College World Series seven times in a single decade.
From 2010-12, the Gators were 147-56 (.724) with three straight CWS appearances for the first time in school history, three straight NCAA Regional and Super Regional crowns, consecutive SEC Championships and a pair of SEC Eastern Division titles in 2010 and 2011, along with the league’s tournament championship in 2011.
More broadly, Florida put together eight seasons with 40-plus wins in the 2010s. Only five other Division I programs accomplished the feat. The Gators’ 455 total wins from 2010-19 ranked fourth nationally.
Major League Baseball Output
Since O’Sullivan’s 2008 arrival, 116 Gators have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft and a nation-leading 41 Gators have made MLB Debuts – five more than any college program. Four Gators debuted in 2025 alone in first baseman Jac Caglianone (Royals), right-hander Brandon Sproat (Mets), southpaw Philip Abner (Diamondbacks) and left-hander Hunter Barco (Pirates). As a result, Florida sent five players including all three weekend starters from its 2023 SEC Championship roster to the Major Leagues in just two years, as outfielder Wyatt Langford (Rangers) debuted one year prior in 2024. Florida has produced 18 MLB players since 2020, which is three more than the next-closest SEC program.
Florida boasts 14 first-round selections dating back to 2012 – the second-most in the nation. Two-way star Jac Caglianone became the most-recent addition to the list in 2024, going sixth overall to the Kansas City Royals. In 2023, the Gators produced a pair of first-rounders in outfielder Wyatt Langford (fourth overall to Texas) and right-handed pitcher Hurston Waldrep (24th to Atlanta). Langford represented the second-highest draft pick in team history as well as the program’s top outfielder to be selected. One year prior, outfielder Sterlin Thompson was drafted by the Colorado Rockies with the 31st overall pick of the first round in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Six Gators had their named called in the 2025 MLB Draft, bringing Florida’s number of unique draft picks to 231.
Additionally, 23 pitchers have been drafted in the first-five rounds under O’Sullivan. In all, 64 Gators pitchers have been drafted in his 18 seasons, equating to 3.6 per year.
In 2018, the Gators had three first-round picks for the first time in program history: Jonathan India went No. 5 overall to the Cincinnati Reds, Brady Singer was picked 18th by the Kansas City Royals and Jackson Kowar was the 33rd selection by the Royals.
