Gators Ranked Third In Final College Baseball Polls
Friday, June 26, 2015 | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida ranked third in the year-end polls released by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NBCWA), Perfect Game and USA Today. It marks the Gators' highest finish since being the national runner-up in 2005 and 2011.
Season Highlights
- In Kevin O'Sullivan's eighth season at the helm, the Gators (52-18) advanced to the NCAA College World Series for the fourth time in six seasons and were one victory shy of the CWS Finals.
- Florida made the CWS for the ninth time in school history (1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015).
- UF reached the 50-win plateau for the second time in O'Sullivan's tenure and for the fourth time in school history and its 52 wins were the second-highest total for the program (53 in 2011).
- The Gators have been a national seed in six of the past seven seasons (No. 8 in 2009, No. 3 in 2010, No. 2 in 2011, No. 1 in 2012, No. 2 in 2014, No. 4 in 2015) – the most national seeds in the country in that span.
- Florida set a school record with a .984 fielding percentage, the second-best clip in NCAA history.
- For the first time in school history, the Orange and Blue ended the seasons of Sunshine State rivals Miami and Florida State in NCAA play.
- The Gators overpowered the Hurricanes twice in Omaha, by scores of 15-3 and 10-2, and swept the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional over the Seminoles, 13-5 and 11-4.
- Florida made its first appearance at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha since the 2012 campaign and just two players remained from that club: senior left-hander Bobby Poyner and senior third baseman Josh Tobias.
- The Gators boast the five longest homers in TD Ameritrade Park Omaha history, while sophomore first baseman Peter Alonso occupies No. 1 (429 feet vs. Virginia on June 20) and No. 2 (421 feet vs. Miami on June 17).
- UF claimed its fourth Super Regional title in five appearances under Coach O'Sullivan and its first since 2012 with the sweep of the Seminoles.
- Florida was 12-3 (.800) in the postseason, going 8-2 (.800) in the NCAA Tournament and 4-1 (.800) at the SEC Tournament
- The Gators made their 31st NCAA Tournament appearance and swept through the NCAA Gainesville Regional at McKethan Stadium by knocking off Florida A&M (19-0), USF (8-2) and Florida Atlantic (2-1).
- Florida brought home its seventh SEC Tournament Championship on May 24 with a 7-3 victory over No. 9 Vanderbilt. It was the squad's first crown since 2011 and they defeated the 2014 national champions three times in four meetings during the season.
- After dropping a 7-6 decision to No. 24 Arkansas, the Gators reeled off four consecutive wins over Auburn (11-2), No. 24 Arkansas (10-0 in 7 innings), No. 1 LSU (2-1) and No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-3). The Tigers and Commodores were the top two seeds at the event.
- Freshman JJ Schwarz, who went 2-for-5 with a run scored versus Vanderbilt, was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tourney after batting .526 (10-for-19) over the five games, with six RBI, five runs and three doubles. He joined Gator winners Rich Bombard (Pitcher, 1982), Brian Reimsnyder (Outfielder, 1988), Herbert Perry (Designated Hitter, 1991), Brian Purvis (Outfielder, 1991) and Daniel Pigott (Outfielder, 2011).
- The NCBWA Freshman Hitter of the Year, Schwarz was 28-for-57 (.491) with 23 runs and 19 RBI during the postseason and batted .333 (6-for-18) during the CWS. He set a Gator freshman record with 18 homers, including a school-record four round-trippers versus Stetson on April 7, and led the club with 73 RBI.
- Junior left fielder Harrison Bader, Schwarz and Tobias each achieved All-American recognition while second baseman Dalton Guthrie, catcher/designated hitter Mike Rivera and Schwarz were Freshman All-Americans.
- Four Gators are playing for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer – LHP A.J. Puk, OF Buddy Reed, Schwarz and RHP Logan Shore.
- Florida had nine players chosen in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, with junior shortstop Richie Martin becoming the program's fourth first-round pick in the last four years when he was taken by the Oakland Athletics at No. 20.
- The Gators have now had 61 picks in O'Sullivan's eight-year tenure (three in 2008, 10 in 2009, six in 2010, 11 in 2011, nine in 2012, seven in 2013, six in 2014, nine in 2015).
Follow the Gators
For all of the latest information on Florida baseball, log on to GatorZone or follow the team's Twitter account @GatorZoneBB.
NCAA: Coach Walton, Cahalan and Rothrock Press Conference 5-16-26
Saturday, May 16
NCAA: Coach Walton, Shumaker and Erickson Postgame Press Conference 5-15-26
Saturday, May 16
NCAA: Ava Brown & Taylor Shumaker Press Conference 5-14-26
Thursday, May 14
NCAA: Coach Walton Press Conference 5-14-26
Thursday, May 14
