Gators Make Another Experienced Addition with Assistant Coach Todd Butler
Monday, July 6, 2026 | Baseball
Butler has compiled 33 years of college coaching experience featuring 20 seasons in the SEC in addition to head-coaching stints at Wichita State (2014-19) and McNeese (2001-03).
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators baseball program has made another signature addition to its staff, as Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan on Monday announced the hiring of 2026 National Champion and 33-year collegiate recruiting, fielding and hitting guru Todd Butler as Assistant Coach.
Armed with 20 years of experience in the SEC, Butler spent the past three seasons at Oklahoma (2024-26) where he served as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator while helping lead the Sooners to a 121-66 combined record (.647) capped by a 2026 College World Series Championship. The collegiate coaching stalwart comes equipped with an extensive resume featuring head coaching stints at Wichita State (2014-19) and McNeese (2001-03) in addition to serving as an assistant at Missouri (2020), Arkansas (2006-13), Alabama (2004-05, 1995-2000), McNeese (2001-03, 1993-94, 1991) and Blinn (1992). He has served in a variety of roles as an assistant coach at those stops, including recruiting coordinator, hitting coach, infield coach and outfield coach.
"It is rare to have the opportunity to bolster your staff with a coach possessing the level of experience, success and national respect that Coach Butler brings to the Gators." O'Sullivan said. "Todd has built a tremendous reputation across our sport with over 30 years of experience in recruiting and developing the best college baseball players in the country, and we are excited to have him in Orange & Blue as an assistant coach on our staff."
Across his collegiate coaching career, Butler has produced 10 top-10 national recruiting classes while his teams have appeared in six College World Series, seven Super Regionals and 19 NCAA Tournaments. He has coached 39 combined All-Americans and Freshman All-Americans, 179 MLB Draft selections and 46 MLB players. This past season alone, Butler's Oklahoma team ranked first in the SEC in stolen bases (134) and triples (17) while finishing second in double plays turned (52).
"I am excited to be a Gator and be a part of the quest for another National Championship at Florida," Butler said. "I want to thank Coach O'Sullivan, Scott Stricklin, Dave Werner and the entire UAA administration for the opportunity to join a first-class coaching staff in Gainesville. I am ready to get to work finding future Gators and developing players for longstanding success at UF and beyond."
Under Butler's guidance, Oklahoma reached the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons on staff from 2024-26. In all three years under Butler, the Sooners led their conference in triples while ranking top-20 nationally each season. Oklahoma also ranked among the top-three teams in the conference in stolen bases every year and never finished outside of the top-35 nationally in walks. The Sooners averaged 2.03 steals per game this past season, preceded by 3.94 in 2025 and 1.54 in 2024. Butler's presence was also a positive influence on infield defense, as Oklahoma finished second in the SEC while sitting top-30 in the country in double plays turned in each of the last two seasons.
Going back to his head coaching tenure as Wichita State, Butler mentored 28 MLB Draft picks and 11 All-America or Freshman All-America honorees. He routinely recruited some of the nation's top talent, highlighted by the No. 2 national recruiting class in 2014. In 2018, Wichita State produced 11 MLB Draft picks, including five in the top-10 rounds.
While serving as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Arkansas, Butler and the Razorbacks reached the NCAA Tournament in all eight seasons while making three NCAA Super Regionals (2009-12) and two trips to the College World Series (2009, 2012). As the lead recruiting coordinator, Butler helped sign five top-10 national recruiting classes, including the nation's No. 1 class in 2009 and 2013. He coached seven All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 18 All-SEC honorees, 67 MLB Draft picks, 18 MLB players and eight Team USA selections.
In two stints over eight combined years at Alabama, Butler helped guide the Crimson Tide to four SEC Tournament Championships, seven NCAA Regional appearances and three trips to the College World Series (1996-97, 1999), including a National Runner-Up finish in 1997. Butler oversaw 22 All-Americans at Alabama in addition to nine Freshman All-Americans and 17 All-SEC honorees, and attracted four top-10 recruiting classes.
Butler served as the Head Coach at McNeese from 2001-03, leading the Cowboys to the Southland Conference Tournament Championship and an NCAA Regional in 2003. It was only the program's fourth NCAA postseason appearance.
Butler began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Blinn College in 1992, helping the Buccaneers to a third-place finish at the NJCAA World Series and a Texas State Junior College championship. He then served as an assistant coach at McNeese State from 1993-94 before moving to Alabama prior to the 1995 season. He spent two summers (1991-92) coaching in the Alaska Baseball League and in 1993 managed the Liberal Bee Jays of the Jayhawk Collegiate League.
Playing for legendary Oklahoma head coach Enos Semore and assistant coach Stan Meek, Butler transferred to Oklahoma for the 1987-88 campaigns after spending the 1985-86 seasons at McNeese. Helping the Sooners to two NCAA Tournament appearances, he still holds the OU single-season record for stolen bases with 46 in 1988. In his senior year, Butler was named Third Team All-America, All-Region and All-Big Eight Conference. During his two seasons in Norman, OU combined for an 87-41 overall record and two of the top-seven team stolen base figures in program history. Butler went on to play one professional season in the Cleveland organization.
A Sulphur, La., product, Butler received his Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from McNeese in 1991.
THE TODD BUTLER FILE
Birthdate: July 23, 1966
Hometown: Sulphur, La.
Education: McNeese (1991)
Playing Career: McNeese (1985-86), Oklahoma (1987-88)
Coaching Career:
Assistant Coach, Florida, 2026-present
Assistant Coach, Oklahoma, 2024-26
Senior Associate Athletic Director, McNeese, 2021-23
Recruiting Coordinator, Missouri, 2020
Head Coach, Wichita State, 2014-19
Assistant Coach, Arkansas, 2006-13
Recruiting Coordinator/Hitting/Infield Coach, Alabama, 2004-05
Head Coach, McNeese, 2001-03
Hitting/Outfield Coach, Alabama, 1995-2000
Assistant Coach, McNeese, 1993-94
Assistant Coach, Blinn, 1992
Assistant Coach, McNeese, 1991
Coach Butler by the Numbers
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Armed with 20 years of experience in the SEC, Butler spent the past three seasons at Oklahoma (2024-26) where he served as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator while helping lead the Sooners to a 121-66 combined record (.647) capped by a 2026 College World Series Championship. The collegiate coaching stalwart comes equipped with an extensive resume featuring head coaching stints at Wichita State (2014-19) and McNeese (2001-03) in addition to serving as an assistant at Missouri (2020), Arkansas (2006-13), Alabama (2004-05, 1995-2000), McNeese (2001-03, 1993-94, 1991) and Blinn (1992). He has served in a variety of roles as an assistant coach at those stops, including recruiting coordinator, hitting coach, infield coach and outfield coach.
"It is rare to have the opportunity to bolster your staff with a coach possessing the level of experience, success and national respect that Coach Butler brings to the Gators." O'Sullivan said. "Todd has built a tremendous reputation across our sport with over 30 years of experience in recruiting and developing the best college baseball players in the country, and we are excited to have him in Orange & Blue as an assistant coach on our staff."
Across his collegiate coaching career, Butler has produced 10 top-10 national recruiting classes while his teams have appeared in six College World Series, seven Super Regionals and 19 NCAA Tournaments. He has coached 39 combined All-Americans and Freshman All-Americans, 179 MLB Draft selections and 46 MLB players. This past season alone, Butler's Oklahoma team ranked first in the SEC in stolen bases (134) and triples (17) while finishing second in double plays turned (52).
"I am excited to be a Gator and be a part of the quest for another National Championship at Florida," Butler said. "I want to thank Coach O'Sullivan, Scott Stricklin, Dave Werner and the entire UAA administration for the opportunity to join a first-class coaching staff in Gainesville. I am ready to get to work finding future Gators and developing players for longstanding success at UF and beyond."
Under Butler's guidance, Oklahoma reached the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons on staff from 2024-26. In all three years under Butler, the Sooners led their conference in triples while ranking top-20 nationally each season. Oklahoma also ranked among the top-three teams in the conference in stolen bases every year and never finished outside of the top-35 nationally in walks. The Sooners averaged 2.03 steals per game this past season, preceded by 3.94 in 2025 and 1.54 in 2024. Butler's presence was also a positive influence on infield defense, as Oklahoma finished second in the SEC while sitting top-30 in the country in double plays turned in each of the last two seasons.
| Oklahoma Baseball Under Todd Butler (2024-26) | |||||||||
| Statistic | 2026 | NCAA Rank | Conf. Rank | 2025 | NCAA Rank | Conf. Rank | 2024 | NCAA Rank | Conf. Rank |
| Triples | 17 | 18th | 1st | 36 | 20 | 1st | 24 | 5th | 1st |
| Stolen Bases | 134 | 17th | 1st | 209 | 38th | 2nd | 94 | 37th | 3rd |
| Base on Balls | 320 | 25th | 5th | 408 | 35th | 5th | 311 | 34th | 4th |
| Steals/Game | 2.03 | 35th | 2nd | 3.94 | 45th | 2nd | 1.54 | 51st | 3rd |
Going back to his head coaching tenure as Wichita State, Butler mentored 28 MLB Draft picks and 11 All-America or Freshman All-America honorees. He routinely recruited some of the nation's top talent, highlighted by the No. 2 national recruiting class in 2014. In 2018, Wichita State produced 11 MLB Draft picks, including five in the top-10 rounds.
While serving as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Arkansas, Butler and the Razorbacks reached the NCAA Tournament in all eight seasons while making three NCAA Super Regionals (2009-12) and two trips to the College World Series (2009, 2012). As the lead recruiting coordinator, Butler helped sign five top-10 national recruiting classes, including the nation's No. 1 class in 2009 and 2013. He coached seven All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 18 All-SEC honorees, 67 MLB Draft picks, 18 MLB players and eight Team USA selections.
In two stints over eight combined years at Alabama, Butler helped guide the Crimson Tide to four SEC Tournament Championships, seven NCAA Regional appearances and three trips to the College World Series (1996-97, 1999), including a National Runner-Up finish in 1997. Butler oversaw 22 All-Americans at Alabama in addition to nine Freshman All-Americans and 17 All-SEC honorees, and attracted four top-10 recruiting classes.
Butler served as the Head Coach at McNeese from 2001-03, leading the Cowboys to the Southland Conference Tournament Championship and an NCAA Regional in 2003. It was only the program's fourth NCAA postseason appearance.
Butler began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Blinn College in 1992, helping the Buccaneers to a third-place finish at the NJCAA World Series and a Texas State Junior College championship. He then served as an assistant coach at McNeese State from 1993-94 before moving to Alabama prior to the 1995 season. He spent two summers (1991-92) coaching in the Alaska Baseball League and in 1993 managed the Liberal Bee Jays of the Jayhawk Collegiate League.
Playing for legendary Oklahoma head coach Enos Semore and assistant coach Stan Meek, Butler transferred to Oklahoma for the 1987-88 campaigns after spending the 1985-86 seasons at McNeese. Helping the Sooners to two NCAA Tournament appearances, he still holds the OU single-season record for stolen bases with 46 in 1988. In his senior year, Butler was named Third Team All-America, All-Region and All-Big Eight Conference. During his two seasons in Norman, OU combined for an 87-41 overall record and two of the top-seven team stolen base figures in program history. Butler went on to play one professional season in the Cleveland organization.
A Sulphur, La., product, Butler received his Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from McNeese in 1991.
THE TODD BUTLER FILE
Birthdate: July 23, 1966
Hometown: Sulphur, La.
Education: McNeese (1991)
Playing Career: McNeese (1985-86), Oklahoma (1987-88)
Coaching Career:
Assistant Coach, Florida, 2026-present
Assistant Coach, Oklahoma, 2024-26
Senior Associate Athletic Director, McNeese, 2021-23
Recruiting Coordinator, Missouri, 2020
Head Coach, Wichita State, 2014-19
Assistant Coach, Arkansas, 2006-13
Recruiting Coordinator/Hitting/Infield Coach, Alabama, 2004-05
Head Coach, McNeese, 2001-03
Hitting/Outfield Coach, Alabama, 1995-2000
Assistant Coach, McNeese, 1993-94
Assistant Coach, Blinn, 1992
Assistant Coach, McNeese, 1991
Coach Butler by the Numbers
- 179 MLB Draft Selections
- 46 MLB Players
- 39 All-Americans
- 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances
- 10 Top-10 National Recruiting Classes
- 7 NCAA Super Regional Berths
- 6 College World Series Appearances
- 1 National Championship
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