Pitching Coach Rich Dorman watches live batting practice with Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan leading up to the start of the fall baseball season at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla. / UAA Communications photo by Mia Tunon
New UF Coaching Duo Tabbed as Top-10 Assistant Hires
Thursday, September 24, 2026 | Baseball
D1Baseball ranked Florida’s additions of coaches Rich Dorman and Todd Butler among the best in the sport.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Baseball added two nationally-renowned baseball minds to its staff this past offseason in Pitching Coach Rich Dorman and Assistant Coach Todd Butler, both of which were ranked by D1Baseball as top-10 assistant hires from the offseason cycle.
In an offseason that saw more than 170 assistant changes across Division I Baseball, Dorman's hire slotted in at No. 3 nationally followed by Butler's addition at No. 8. As a result, Florida's four-man staff of Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan, Associate Head Coach Tom Slater, Dorman and Butler boast 126 years of combined experience as full-time baseball coaches, ranking first in the SEC and representing 31 more years of combined experience than the next-closest SEC program. The UF quartet has spent 94 years in Division I Baseball alone.
3. Rich Dorman, Florida
"Looking to establish more consistency on the mound, Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan stepped out of his comfort zone with one of the best hires of the summer: Oregon State pitching coach Rich Dorman. Dorman, who previously had worked at Grand Canyon before heading to OSU, continued the Beavers' long-standing tradition of excellence on the mound the past few seasons. OSU finished the 2026 season with the nation's best ERA, and finished the 2024 and '25 seasons, respectively, with national rankings of 10 and 17 in ERA."
8. Todd Butler, Florida
"Butler is the ultimate veteran assistant coach in our profession. He spent time at Arkansas and Missouri, was the head coach at Wichita State, and helped Oklahoma capture a national title this past season with a series win over North Carolina. Butler is considered a strong evaluator and an excellent recruiter, giving UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan an opportunity to focus on higher-level aspects of the program. Butler's veteran presence should be a big asset for the Gators."
Coming to the Gators after seven seasons at Oregon State (2020-26), Dorman concluded his time with the Beavers by producing the nation's top staff in terms of ERA (3.22) and WHIP (1.14) in 2026. While in Corvallis, Dorman mentored a total of 15 MLB Draft picks and 11 different pitchers to All-America honors highlighted by three hurlers in the 2026 campaign alone and the 2022 National Pitcher of the Year in Cooper Hjerpe. Prior to Oregon State, Dorman spent three seasons as the Pitching Coach at Grand Canyon preceded by eight years in the same role with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Across 10 seasons in college baseball with Oregon State and Grand Canyon, Dorman saw 21 of his pitchers selected in the MLB Draft for an average of 2.1 players per year. During the 2026 campaign with the Beavers, Dorman's staff reset the program's all-time strikeout record (699) for the fourth time under his watch and led the entire country in ERA, hits allowed per nine innings (6.94) and WHIP while ranking second nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.55) and third in strikeouts per nine (11.8). Over Dorman's last three seasons at OSU, the Beavers never finished outside the top-30 teams nationally in ERA, H/9 or WHIP – sitting inside the top 20 in ERA and H/9 every year of that stretch.
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 came equipped with an extensive resume featuring head coaching stints at Wichita State and McNeese in addition to serving as an assistant at Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, McNeese and Blinn. 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.
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. Last 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).
Butler, Dorman and the Gators are primed to officially open their fall baseball season on Monday, Sept. 28 with the first day of team practice.
2027 Season Ticket Information
Place a deposit to secure your spot for new season tickets at Condron Family Ballpark for the 2027 baseball season here. Returning season ticket holders from the 2026 season DO NOT need to place a deposit. Your seats are being held for you and renewal information will be sent at a later date. The Gator Ticket Office can be contacted at (352) 375-4683.
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In an offseason that saw more than 170 assistant changes across Division I Baseball, Dorman's hire slotted in at No. 3 nationally followed by Butler's addition at No. 8. As a result, Florida's four-man staff of Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan, Associate Head Coach Tom Slater, Dorman and Butler boast 126 years of combined experience as full-time baseball coaches, ranking first in the SEC and representing 31 more years of combined experience than the next-closest SEC program. The UF quartet has spent 94 years in Division I Baseball alone.
3. Rich Dorman, Florida
"Looking to establish more consistency on the mound, Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan stepped out of his comfort zone with one of the best hires of the summer: Oregon State pitching coach Rich Dorman. Dorman, who previously had worked at Grand Canyon before heading to OSU, continued the Beavers' long-standing tradition of excellence on the mound the past few seasons. OSU finished the 2026 season with the nation's best ERA, and finished the 2024 and '25 seasons, respectively, with national rankings of 10 and 17 in ERA."
8. Todd Butler, Florida
"Butler is the ultimate veteran assistant coach in our profession. He spent time at Arkansas and Missouri, was the head coach at Wichita State, and helped Oklahoma capture a national title this past season with a series win over North Carolina. Butler is considered a strong evaluator and an excellent recruiter, giving UF coach Kevin O'Sullivan an opportunity to focus on higher-level aspects of the program. Butler's veteran presence should be a big asset for the Gators."
Coming to the Gators after seven seasons at Oregon State (2020-26), Dorman concluded his time with the Beavers by producing the nation's top staff in terms of ERA (3.22) and WHIP (1.14) in 2026. While in Corvallis, Dorman mentored a total of 15 MLB Draft picks and 11 different pitchers to All-America honors highlighted by three hurlers in the 2026 campaign alone and the 2022 National Pitcher of the Year in Cooper Hjerpe. Prior to Oregon State, Dorman spent three seasons as the Pitching Coach at Grand Canyon preceded by eight years in the same role with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Across 10 seasons in college baseball with Oregon State and Grand Canyon, Dorman saw 21 of his pitchers selected in the MLB Draft for an average of 2.1 players per year. During the 2026 campaign with the Beavers, Dorman's staff reset the program's all-time strikeout record (699) for the fourth time under his watch and led the entire country in ERA, hits allowed per nine innings (6.94) and WHIP while ranking second nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.55) and third in strikeouts per nine (11.8). Over Dorman's last three seasons at OSU, the Beavers never finished outside the top-30 teams nationally in ERA, H/9 or WHIP – sitting inside the top 20 in ERA and H/9 every year of that stretch.
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 came equipped with an extensive resume featuring head coaching stints at Wichita State and McNeese in addition to serving as an assistant at Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, McNeese and Blinn. 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.
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. Last 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).
Butler, Dorman and the Gators are primed to officially open their fall baseball season on Monday, Sept. 28 with the first day of team practice.
2027 Season Ticket Information
Place a deposit to secure your spot for new season tickets at Condron Family Ballpark for the 2027 baseball season here. Returning season ticket holders from the 2026 season DO NOT need to place a deposit. Your seats are being held for you and renewal information will be sent at a later date. The Gator Ticket Office can be contacted at (352) 375-4683.
Follow the Gators
#GoGators
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