Baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan, residing in Florida, is temporarily barred from coaching for three games in 2026 as a consequence of his offensive outburst during the NCAA Tournament.

In a surprising turn of events, Florida Gators baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan will serve a three-game suspension at the start of the 2026 season. The suspension is a result of a profane rant directed at NCAA Tournament officials during the 2025 Conway Regional.

The incident occurred ahead of Florida's elimination game against Coastal Carolina. O'Sullivan berated Coastal Carolina administrators, who served as NCAA site reps at their home regional. The NCAA issued a public reprimand to O'Sullivan for aggressive behaviour and profanity-laced language.

Scott Stricklin, Florida's athletic director, expressed his disappointment, stating that O'Sullivan's actions "fell well short" of university expectations. Stricklin commended the university's handling of the matter, praising the commitment to maintaining standards. He also shared that O'Sullivan has vowed to learn from the experience and serve as a better leader moving forward.

DI baseball committee chair Jay Artigues also weighed in, stating that O'Sullivan's actions did not exhibit good sportsmanship and were unsportsmanlike. Artigues commended Stricklin for handling the matter appropriately.

The suspension will affect the games against UAB from February 13-15, 2026. It's important to note that there is no available information about any person at the University of Florida in 2026 missing the first three baseball games due to a profane outburst against tournament officials.

During his hearing, O'Sullivan expressed a sincere apology for his actions at the Conway regional. He apologised to the entire NCAA Regional field, the NCAA, and the University of Florida's fanbase (Gator Nation). O'Sullivan also acknowledged that he did not represent the University of Florida to the appropriate standard during the incident.

The NCAA determined that O'Sullivan's actions violated a bylaw that defines misconduct in an NCAA championship. The committee made a decision to suspend O'Sullivan after a full review of the incident at the Conway regional.

The NCAA's core value is the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship, which is expected to be upheld by all parties involved. The NCAA moved first pitch back an hour to give Coastal Carolina more rest time after they played until about midnight the night before.

O'Sullivan, who guided the Gators to a College World Series title in 2017, marking his 19th season with the program, later apologised and promised to learn from the experience and be better moving forward. The NCAA accepted the self-imposed penalties Florida levied on O'Sullivan.

This suspension serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining professionalism and sportsmanship, even in high-pressure situations. As the 2026 season approaches, the focus will be on O'Sullivan's ability to lead the team effectively despite the suspension and his commitment to upholding the University of Florida's standards moving forward.

Baseball coach Kevin O'Sullivan, residing in Florida, is temporarily barred from coaching for three games in 2026 as a consequence of his offensive outburst during the NCAA Tournament.