GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida baseball head coach Kevin O’Sullivan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1291&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=D_gqP6mr4JA2jDUcHHx7UYJGCm66vaOxIxmHxaHREXg&e= > will serve as the pitching coach for the 2021 USA Collegiate National Team this summer, as announced by USA Baseball in a release on Wednesday afternoon.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the pitching coach for the 2021 USA Collegiate National Team and to work with some of the top student-athletes in our game today,” said O’Sullivan. “I look forward to helping the players on this year’s team develop their game for the next level and want to thank USA Baseball for this great opportunity.”
With the announcement, O’Sullivan is set to make his Team USA coaching debut from July 2-15, when the CNT begins a stretch of 11 intrasquad games held between two 24-man rosters dubbed the Stars and Stripes. Two of the players suiting up for the Stars and Stripes will be Florida pitchers Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14211&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=16ypDLBK3W9sx7WyFjOPI7gc3ncip8P4F1A6YC1u9w0&e= > and Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14233&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Fa5-xnRz9FrzoIh_L2gquD63tyHWrQ8jOzpNBpUppx4&e= >, meaning there will be a grand total of three Gators in uniform for the 2021 USA CNT.
The Gator skipper joins Elliot Avent (Manager; NC State), Bobby Austin (Mississippi State), Dan Hartleb (Illinois), Kobe Phillips (NC Central), Josh Pike (NC State), Alex Sogard (Wright State), Troy Tulowitzki (Texas) and Jerry Weinstein (Colorado Rockies) as part of the 2021 USA CNT coaching staff.
“We are honored to welcome eight tremendous coaches to assist the Collegiate National Team this summer,” said USA Baseball General Manager of National Teams Eric Campbell. “This year will be unique for the Collegiate program as we welcome in forty-eight athletes to represent Team USA. As we constructed this season for the athletes, the need for an experienced and versatile coaching staff became a priority to heighten the overall development experience, and we are confident that we have done just that. These coaches bring a wealth of knowledge that will impact every single athlete who will wear the red, white, and blue in a positive way now and for many years to come.”
Having recently completed his 14th season at the helm of the Gators, O’Sullivan has led Florida to seven NCAA College World Series appearances, a program-record 13-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and captured the program’s first-ever national championship in 2017. On March 9 of the 2021 campaign, O’Sullivan became the winningest head coach in the history of the Florida program with win number 557, ultimately concluding the year with a 585-278 record (.678), which ranks third in terms of winning percentage among active Division I head coaches.
O’Sullivan was named the National Coach of the Year in 2017 and has captured SEC Coach of the Year honors on three separate occasions (2010, 2014, 2018). Also included in his coaching resume are five SEC Championships, two SEC Tournament Championships and 88 MLB Draft selections. The latter total features a nation-leading 10 first round picks dating back to 2012, including current MLB standouts Jonathan India, Brady Singer and Mike Zunino.
Under O’Sullivan’s watch, 14 Gators have earned spots on the USA CNT: Matt den Dekker (2008), Nolan Fontana (2x, 2010-11), Brian Johnson (2x, 2010-11), Jonathon Crawford (2012), A.J. Puk (2015), Buddy Reed (2015), JJ Schwarz (2015), Logan Shore (2015), Alex Faedo (2016), Dalton Guthrie (2016), Mike Rivera (2016), Tommy Mace<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14223&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Qm5m_nsIQqnj8O98cC15kG0bOLRzkb2sqIz_Hn15lW4&e= > (2019), Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14211&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=16ypDLBK3W9sx7WyFjOPI7gc3ncip8P4F1A6YC1u9w0&e= > (2021) and Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14233&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Fa5-xnRz9FrzoIh_L2gquD63tyHWrQ8jOzpNBpUppx4&e= > (2021).
Florida Players to Compete for USA CNT During O’Sullivan’s Tenure (Since 2008)
2021: LHP <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14211&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=16ypDLBK3W9sx7WyFjOPI7gc3ncip8P4F1A6YC1u9w0&e= > Hunter Barco<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14211&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=16ypDLBK3W9sx7WyFjOPI7gc3ncip8P4F1A6YC1u9w0&e= >, RHP <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14233&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Fa5-xnRz9FrzoIh_L2gquD63tyHWrQ8jOzpNBpUppx4&e= > Brandon Sproat<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14233&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Fa5-xnRz9FrzoIh_L2gquD63tyHWrQ8jOzpNBpUppx4&e= >
2019: RHP <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14223&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Qm5m_nsIQqnj8O98cC15kG0bOLRzkb2sqIz_Hn15lW4&e= > Tommy Mace<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14223&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=Bqz8IujmT9MHk-HUb3Xcek0KJTBNgQfjJFcCWHJUDUs&s=Qm5m_nsIQqnj8O98cC15kG0bOLRzkb2sqIz_Hn15lW4&e= >
2016: RHP Alex Faedo, INF Dalton Guthrie, C Mike Rivera
2015: LHP A.J. Puk, OF Buddy Reed, C/DH JJ Schwarz, RHP Logan Shore
2012: RHP Jonathon Crawford
2011: INF Nolan Fontana, LHP Brian Johnson
2010: INF Nolan Fontana, LHP Brian Johnson
2008: OF Matt den Dekker
Complete 2021 USA CNT Schedule
(Date; Match-Up; Location; Time [E.T.])
Friday, July 2; Stars vs. Stripes; Danville, Virginia; 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 3; Stars vs. Stripes; Burlington, North Carolina; TBD
Sunday, July 4; Stars vs. Stripes; Cary, North Carolina; 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 6; Stars vs. Stripes; Greeneville, Tennessee; 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 7; Stars vs. Stripes; Johnson City, Tennessee; 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 8; Stars vs. Stripes; Bristol, Virginia; 7 p.m.
Friday, July 9; Stars vs. Stripes; Elizabethton, Virginia; 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 10; Stars vs. Stripes; Kingsport, Tennessee; TBD
Tuesday, July 13; Stars vs. Stripes; Pulaski, Virginia; 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 14; Stars vs. Stripes; Princeton, West Virginia; 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 15; Stars vs. Stripes; Bluefield, West Virginia; 6:30 p.m.
