Dec. 19, 2025, 6:05 a.m. ET

Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan is returning from a two-month personal leave of absence, the program announced on Wednesday.

“I want to thank the University and athletic department for their support,” said O’Sullivan. “I am excited to be back and am ready to get to work with our team as we prepare for the upcoming 2026 season.”

While the nature of O’Sullivan’s leave of absence remains private, the program announced publicly that he was addressing family matters. While he was away, multiple reports surfaced naming O’Sullivan in a child welfare investigation. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office did not find evidence of a crime, and no charges or arrests were made.

Also during that time, assistant coach and acting head coach Chuck Jeroloman left the program for a similar position at the University of Tennessee. The unexpected move raised questions about the stability of the program among players and recruits.

Florida hired former MLB hitting coach Tom Slater as an associate head coach in response. The same recruits and players expressed some relief and optimism when Slater joined the program. O’Sullivan also remained active, reaching out to recruits when Jeroloman left.

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While some questions remain about the stability of Florida’s baseball program, O’Sullivan’s return comes well before the start of preseason practice. A three-time SEC Coach of the Year who has led Florida to 17 NCAA Tournament berths and nine College World Series appearances over 18 seasons, Sully should be able to get the team on track despite missing fall practices.

“Yeah, it’s exciting having him back,” a current Florida player told Gators Wire. “We all have each other’s backs, and now we get to focus on moving forward with him.”

Florida signed 11 of its 12 committed players from the class of 2026, losing only Denton Lord to Mississippi State. Lord is considered a draft prospect, so that decision could become a non-factor should he decide to go pro. A good chunk of the recruiting class never considered backing off their commitment, and those who did often showed a desire to stay with the program. Now that the ship has its captain back, recruits are exhaling a deep breath of relief.

“A more positive move in program stability means the program is becoming more reliable and less prone to crashes or errors,” one signee said.

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