Stricklin publicly reprimands O’Sullivan, who apologizes for pregame incident

Florida Gators baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan has issued an apology for his behavior Sunday during a heated exchange with NCAA officials regarding the time change for UF’s elimination game at the Conway Regional. Meanwhile, Florida AD Scott Stricklin also publicly reprimanded O’Sullivan in their joint statement, calling his actions “unacceptable.”

“Prior to yesterday’s NCAA Tournament game against East Carolina, I let my emotions get the best of me and channeled that energy in a way I should not have,” O’Sullivan said in a statement released by UF on social media. “I want to sincerely apologize for my actions and behavior to the entire NCAA Regional field of Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Fairfield, the NCAA – including site representatives Rick French and Mark Scalf – as well as all of Gator Nation.

“I did not represent the University of Florida to the appropriate standard yesterday and take full responsibility for that, and promise to learn from this experience and be better moving forward. I appreciate all of the tireless efforts on behalf of host Coastal Carolina, their Tournament Director Bryan Stiles, and the NCAA over the course of NCAA Regionals, and am sorry for allowing this instance to get in the way of an otherwise great weekend of postseason baseball.”

Florida AD also apologized for the incident

In the same release from UF, Stricklin commented on the incident, which has drawn unflattering national attention.

“This afternoon I met with Kevin O’Sullivan and told him that his actions prior to yesterday’s NCAA Tournament game fell well short of expectations of how Gators treat people,” Stricklin said. “One of our department’s core values is respect, and Coach O’Sullivan’s unacceptable actions failed to demonstrate that. On behalf of Florida Athletics, I want to personally apologize to everyone impacted – including NCAA representatives, Coastal Carolina and their staff, East Carolina and their team – as well as to Gator Nation.”

O’Sullivan was upset about the time change

Florida’s game Sunday was scheduled for 12 p.m. ET but moved to 1 p.m. because of ECU playing late the night before. WNCT-TV sports director Brian Bailey reported that O’Sullivan was “very upset” about the change and “ripped into the NCAA staff here in Conway.”

Video emerged of O’Sullivan berating two individuals, presumably the NCAA site reps. Florida’s coach drops multiple F-bombs as he voices his displeasure, though O’Sullivan does apologize during the exchange. UF then lost the game 11-4 to end its season.

After Coastal Carolina defeated ECU to win the Conway Regional later in the day Sunday, Chanticleers coach Kevin Schnall ripped O’Sullivan for the incident and said the Florida coach also “disrespected” CCU’s associate AD and the school’s field crew. 

“I believe in standing up for what’s right,” Schnall said, “and what transpired this morning on our field, another coach disrespected our associate AD, who works as hard as anybody in our entire program. He disrespected our field crew, who are the salt of the earth. These guys would do anything for our program. It’s not OK. And this needs to be brought up. Absolutely disrespectful. As a coach, it’s our job to mentor young kids. 

“And the way he treated the two site reps, the way he treated our associate AD, the way he treated our field crew is absolutely unacceptable. And I’m really, that’s what I’m most disappointed about. This is a national champion coach who thinks he can come in here and try to bully people around. Disappointed. Disappointed. Somebody that a lot of coaches look up to. For him to act that way, really disappointed. He disrespected a Hall of Fame coach who’s the site rep here. That’s all I’ve got to say.”