Florida Baseball Coach Suspended Following Outburst

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan has been suspended for the first three games of the 2026 season due to his aggressive behavior at last season’s NCAA regional in Conway, South Carolina. The decision was announced by athletic director Scott Stricklin on Friday.

The suspension will see O’Sullivan miss the Gators’ Opening Weekend against UAB from February 13-15. Stricklin stated, “The suspension announced today reinforces Florida Athletics’ commitment to our standards, with Coach O’Sullivan accepting full responsibility for his behavior.”

During the Conway Regional, O’Sullivan garnered criticism after directing profanity-laced remarks at umpires and site officials. His outburst occurred after the start time for his team’s elimination game against East Carolina was pushed back an hour, resulting in an 11-4 loss that ended Florida’s season.

O’Sullivan later released a statement admitting, “I let my emotions get the best of me and channeled that energy in a way I should not have.” He acknowledged the need to represent the University of Florida appropriately and promised to learn from the incident.

The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee also issued a reprimand for O’Sullivan’s conduct, stating it violated an NCAA bylaw concerning unsportsmanlike behavior. Kevin Schnall, Coastal Carolina‘s head coach, criticized O’Sullivan’s actions, calling them “absolutely unacceptable.”

Looking ahead, Florida baseball announced its fall practice schedule, beginning on October 6 at Condron Family Ballpark. Fans are invited to attend, and further updates will be available on the team’s social media channels.