Reports: Florida commits long-term to baseball coach Kevin Sullivan with 10-year extension

By Adam Silverstein
September 28, 2016
Reports: Florida commits long-term to baseball coach Kevin Sullivan with 10-year extension
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Image Credit: ESPN Images

Remember how quickly those postseason rumblings about Florida Gators head baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan leaving for another team were quelled? There’s no wonder now as to why.

Sullivan has signed a 10-year, $12.5 million extension with the Gators that will keep him with the team through the 2025 season, according to Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball and Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.

O’Sullivan, now one of the three highest-paid baseball coaches in the nation per Rodgers, will also reportedly receive a $500,000 signing bonus. Should Florida wish to part ways with O’Sullivan at any time, he would receive $500,000 per season as a buyout. It is unknown whether there is any mitigation as part of that buyout.

The Gators are 396-189 (171-98 SEC) through O’Sullivan’s first 10 seasons, 104-34 (38-21) over the last two years. Florida has advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season, moving on to the College World Series in five of the last seven seasons including each of the last two.

Gators baseball has never won a national title in its history. O’Sullivan has captured three SEC regular-season titles and two SEC Tournament crowns.

Athletic director Jeremy Foley made it very clear this summer that O’Sullivan would not be leaving Florida as the program would be making a significant commitment to him and the sport of baseball. New AD Scott Stricklin, who will replace the retiring Foley on Nov. 1, expressed Tuesday that he “love[s] college baseball” and is “really excited to work with Sully.”

The last project Foley has approved as AD is a $100 million facility improvement plan that includes a massive renovation to McKethan Stadium and the Florida baseball complex. Included are more shaded seats, premium seating, club seating, a second level concourse, refreshed dugouts and locker rooms, an expanded press box and improved player amenities (including meeting rooms and lounges).


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