Florida Gators baseball

Infobox College baseball team
name = Florida Gators
founded = 1912

logo_size =
university = University of Florida
conference = Southeastern Conference
conference_short = SEC
division = Eastern
city = Gainesville
stateabb = FL
state = Florida
coach = Kevin O'Sullivan
tenure = 1st
stadium = Alfred A. McKethan Stadium
capacity = 6,000
nickname = Gators
color1 = Orange
color2 = Blue
color3 =
fontcolor = 0021A5
hex1 = FF4A00
hex2 = 0021A5
hex3 =
national_champion =
cws = 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005
ncaa_tourneys = 1958, 1960, 1962, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008
conference_tournament = 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1991
conference_champion = 1952, 1956, 1962, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2005The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Florida athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference. The Gators play their home games on campus in Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, and are currently coached by head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.

History

The Early Years

The Dave Fuller Era

The Joe Arnold Era

The Andy Lopez Era

Andy Lopez took over the program in 1994, one season removed from leading Pepperdine University to its only national championship in the College World Series. In 1996, he coached the Gators to a 50-win season and College World Series bid. By 2000, however,the program had seemingly hit a plateau and Lopez was replaced in order to get the program to the next level.

Post-Lopez Era

Pat McMahon became head coach in 2001 after coaching at Mississippi State.

The 2005 season was the best in school history, as the team won the SEC title and made the College World Series for the first time in seven years, and advanced all the way to the championship round against Texas, but ultimately lost two games to none. The baseball team has made the Series five times in total.

The expectations for the team were high for 2006; they opened the season as the #1 team in the polls. The team struggled through the 2006 season, however. The Gators found themselves 1 game under .500 (26-27) heading into their final series, against LSU in Gainesville. UF surprisingly took 2 of 3 to finish right at .500, 28-28. However, the team's 10-20 SEC record was the second worst in the conference (only Auburn's 9-21 campaign was worse), and they didn't qualify for the SEC Tournament. There was very slight hope that the team might be selected for the NCAA Regionals, but in the end their disappointing performance did not get them a bid.

After missing the NCAA Regionals again in 2007, McMahon was terminated as Florida baseball coach on June 7, 2007. [ [http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070607/MISC/70607052/Baseball_coach_McMahon_fired Pat McMahon fired] ] Former Clemson associate head coach Kevin O'Sullivan agreed to become the Gators' new head baseball coach on June 13, 2007. [ [http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/GATORS04/70613015/UF_selects_baseball_coach UF selects baseball coach - GATORS04 - GatorSports.com ] ]

The Kevin O'Sullivan Era

tadium

McKethan Stadium at Perry Field

McKethan Stadium at Perry Field is a baseball stadium in Gainesville, Florida. It is the home field for the Florida Gators baseball team. The stadium is named after Alfred A. McKethan who contributed significant funds to build the stadium. The other namesake of "Perry Field" is named after Carl "Tootie" Perry who is a former Gator football player. Perry's family owned the land that the stadium is built on, but donated it to the university with a stipulation that Perry's name be part of anything built on the land. [http://www.gatorzone.com/facilities/?venue=mckethan&sport=baseb MCKETHAN STADIUM AT PERRY FIELD] ]

Renovations

*In 1996 the press box was rebuilt and funded by another contribution given to the university by Alfred McKethan.
*In 1997, additional bleachers were added down the left field line and behind the left field fence. This renovation brought the total capacity to 5,000.
*Prior to the 2007 season, the stadium underwent another set of renovations that brought it's total capacity up to 5,500. The renovation included an additional 1,000 seats down the left baseline, in addition to upgrades to the locker rooms and baseball offices.

Head Coaches

Florida in the NCAA Tournament

*The NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament started in 1947.
*The format of the tournament has changed through the years.

ee also

*Florida Gators

References