Volunteer Assistant Coach - 2022 will be Eighth Season at Florida
Lars Davis wrapped up his seventh season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Gators Baseball program in 2021. His efforts the past seven seasons played a key role in the Gators winning their first national title and making four consecutive NCAA College World Series appearances (2015-18). In addition, Florida's 205 wins from 2016-19 marked the highest total in program history within a four-year span.
Outfielder Jud Fabian (First Team All-SEC, SEC All-Defensive Team), left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco (SEC All-Newcomer Team), catcher Nathan Hickey (SEC All-Newcomer Team) and outfielder Sterlin Thompson (SEC All-Freshman Team) each collected All-SEC honors for their performances in 2021. Fabian also garnered Third Team All-America status from Collegiate Baseball, while Hickey (third base), Thompson (outfield) and Jacob Young (outfield) were named to the 2021 SEC All-Tournament Team.
In 2020, Florida won its first 16 games of the year, eclipsing the school record for consecutive wins to open a season previously set with 11-0 starts in 1989 and 2002. The Gators' winning streak was also the third-longest in school history, behind an 18-game run in 2012, and a 17-game streak in 2016. The run of season-opening wins included a sweep at No. 1 Miami, a series in which the Gators have won 15 of the last 18 meetings.
Following Florida's only loss of the year, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the season's cancellation. The Gators finished as the No. 1-ranked team all four of collegiate baseball's rankings, though only
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and the
USA Today Coaches' Poll officially published rankings following the season's cancellation.
At the time of the cancellation, Florida ranked 10th nationally in fielding percentage (.984), 12th in home runs (21) and 16th in earned run average (2.41). The bullpen was just as impressive as the staff as a whole, as it ended the season with a 1.76 ERA across 76.2 innings pitched. Sophomore outfielder Jacob Young finished the season with an active 18-game hitting streak, and became the third Gators hitter since the start of 2009 to record seven consecutive multi-hit games (Jonathan India, March 9-21, 2018; Bryson Smith, May 28-June 12, 2011).
A total of 13 Gators made the SEC Academic Honor Roll, and another 10 made the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
In 2019, the Gators extended the program-best postseason streak to 12 years in a row, earning a spot in the NCAA Lubbock Regional while facing the nation’s third-hardest schedule. UF went a combined 18-18 against SEC and ACC opponents to earn an at-large bid to the tournament. Florida went 1-2 and was eliminated despite scoring 29 runs in three games (UF’s most in a regional since 2011 when the Gators scored 33 runs).
Four players were drafted from the 2019 squad, including second-round pick Brady McConnell, who hit 15 home runs on the season, the most ever by a UF shortstop. McConnell and Nelson Maldonado earned second team All-America honors. The Gators had 13 players named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and another nine on the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
In 2018, Florida followed up its first national title by winning its second-straight SEC Championships and earning the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament – all while playing against the nation’s second-toughest schedule. The Gators went 20-10 in SEC play and clinched the league title with four games to play.
Brady Singer was the recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy and was named the National Player of the Year by Baseball America and D1baseball.com and a unanimous First Team All-American. Jonathan India was also a consensus First Team All-American and was selected fifth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.
Closer Michael Byrne also earned All-America honors and broke the school record for career saves (35). Senior JJ Schwarz ended his career with more games played (266) and starts (266) than any player in school history and worked his way up the record books and finished his career second in career RBI (237), third in hits (293) and fourth in home runs (50).
For the first time in school history, three players were taken in the first round of the MLB Draft: India was selected fifth by the Cincinnati Reds while Singer (18th) and Jackson Kowar (33rd) were picked by the Kansas City Royals. In addition, Schwarz was taken in the eighth round by the Oakland A’s and infielder Deacon Liput was selected in the 10th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Byrne was drafted in the 14th round by the Reds and senior Nick Horvath was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the 25th round.
Off the field, the Gators had 12 student-athletes named to the 2018 Spring Academic Honor Roll. Six newcomers were named to the 2017-18 First Year Academic Honor Roll.
History was made in 2017 as Florida won its first national championship in school history, sweeping LSU in the CWS Finals by 4-3 and 6-1 scores to bring home the trophy. The Gators finished 52-19 against the nation’s toughest schedule and claimed a SEC Championship trophy in addition to the national title. Florida won 50+ games for the sixth time in school history—four of which have come under Kevin O’Sullivan (2011, 2015, 2016, 2017) and the current staff.
A pair of All-Americans led the pitching staff, as junior Alex Faedo led the rotation with a 2.26 ERA and 9-2 record while Michael Byrne led the nation with 19 saves on the season, a new school record. At the conclusion of the season, eight Gators were taken in the 2017 MLB Draft: Faedo (1st round), shortstop Dalton Guthrie (6th round), catcher Mike Rivera (6th round), catcher Mark Kolozsvary (7th round), right-hander David Lee (27th round), right-hander Frank Rubio (29th round), second baseman Deacon Liput (29th round) and Schwarz (38th round).
The 2016 season was a record breaking year for Florida, as the Gators turned in the best regular season (44-11) in program history and equaled the second-most wins in school history with a 52-16 final record and advanced to the College World Series for the fifth time in seven years. Five players earned All-America honors and the team produced eight MLB draft picks, including a pair of first rounders.
In 2015, the Gators swept through the Regionals and Super Regionals held at McKethan Stadium and finished the season with a 52-18 record. In addition, the Orange and Blue claimed the Southeastern Conference Tournament by notching four straight victories in Hoover, Ala., and finished with an overall record of 52-18 and a No. 3 ranking in the final polls.
Davis arrived in Gainesville after completing the 2014 season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. A third-round selection of the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, the Grande Prairie, Alberta, native enjoyed an eight-year professional career with three organizations: the Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Phillies.
A two-year starting catcher at the University of Illinois in 2006-07, Davis was the second-highest drafted position player in school history and was an All-American during his junior campaign, when he was named the 2007 Big Ten Player of the Year. With a .400 batting average, he became the first Fighting Illini player to hit .400 in a season since 1996 and he put together a 19-game hitting streak. Davis paced the Big Ten that year in total bases (145), hits (90) and homers (13) and also led his squad in runs (55), slugging percentage (.644) and on-base percentage (.461).
His wife, Katie, is a member of the University Athletic Association as well, serving as the head athletic trainer for the two-time national champion Gators Softball program.
THE LARS DAVIS FILE
Birthdate: Nov. 7, 1985
Hometown: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
Education: Diploma in General Studies – Lethbridge College, 2005
Bachelor of Science – Earth, Society and Environment Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015
Coaching Career
- Volunteer Assistant Coach, University of Florida, 2014-present
Playing Career
- Canadian Prairie Baseball Academy, 2004-05
- University of Illinois, 2006-07
Professional Career
Colorado Rockies’ Organization
- Tri-City (Wash.) Dust Devils – (Class A Short-Season – Northwest League), 2007
- Asheville (N.C.) Tourists – (Class A – South Atlantic League), 2008
- Modesto (Calif.) Nuts (Class A Advanced – California League), 2009
- Tulsa (Okla.) Drillers (Double A – Texas League), 2010-12
- Salt River Rafters (Arizona Fall League), 2012
- Big League Spring Training (Colorado Rockies), 2012-13
- Colorado Springs (Colo.) Sky Sox (Triple A – Pacific Coast League), 2013
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Organization
- Mobile (Ala.) BayBears – (Double A – Southern League), 2014
Philadelphia Phillies’ Organization
- Reading (Pa.) Fightin Phils – (Double A – Eastern League), 2014
- Lehigh Valley (Pa.) IronPigs – (Triple A – International League), 2014
Playing Honors
- Post-Season All-Star with the Double-A Tulsa (Okla.) Drillers, 2012
- Mid-Season All-Star with the Double-A Tulsa (Okla.) Drillers, 2012
- Player of the Week with the Class-A Short-Season Tri-City (Wash.) Dust Devils, 2007
- Chosen by the Colorado Rockies in the 3rd round of the Major League Baseball Draft (No. 102 overall), 2007
- Second-highest drafted position player in University of Illinois baseball history, 2007
- Second-team All-American by Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball, 2007
- Third-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, 2007
- Big Ten Player of the Year, 2007
- First-team All-Big Ten, 2007
- Illinois Team Most Valuable Player, 2007
- First Illinois player to hit .400 in a season in 11 years, 2007
- Led the Big Ten in total bases (145), hits (90) and homers (13), 2007
- Led the Fighting Illini in batting average (.400), hits (90), RBI (56), runs (55), homers (13), slugging percentage (.644) and on-base percentage (.461), 2007
- Big Ten Player of the Week, 2007 (March 27)
- Dawg of the Year at Prairie Baseball Academy, 2005
- Ranks second all-time in single-season homers (7) at Prairie Baseball Academy, 2005
- Listed as the ninth-best Canadian prospect for the Major League Baseball Draft, 2005
- Top Male Athlete in the Grande Prairie Composite graduating class, 2003
- Chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays in 49th round of the Major League Baseball Draft (No. 1,429 overall), 2003
