Florida
was picked No. 1 in the Preseason USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Baseball Coaches’ Poll released
on Thursday. It marks the first time in school history that the Gators have
been at the top of the publication’s preseason rankings. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s
club had previously tabbed No. 1 by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball
entering the 2012 campaign.
Last season, UF was 53-19,
finished as the runner-up at the NCAA College World Series for the second time
and established a school record for victories. Florida made the trip to Omaha
in consecutive seasons for the first time and reached the CWS for the seventh
time in school history (1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011).
With a 22-8 performance in the
SEC that matched South Carolina and Vanderbilt for the top spot, the Gators
blanked the Commodores, 5-0, to capture the 2011 SEC Tournament
in Hoover, Ala. It was the first time in 20 years that
Florida won the league’s tourney and was its sixth title (1981, 1982, 1984,
1988, 1991, 2011). The triumph also represented the first time since 1988 that
the Orange and Blue had won the SEC and SEC Tourney in the same season. O’Sullivan’s club reached the 40-win plateau for the 20th
time in school history and the school-record 53 wins marked the third time that
the program exceeded 50 wins (also in 1991 & 1996).
The Gators return a solid nucleus that
includes 2011 SEC Player of the Year catcher Mike Zunino (Cape Coral,
Fla.), 2011 Perfect Game Freshman Pitcher of the Year right-hander Karsten
Whitson (Chipley, Fla.), as well as All-SEC selections shortstop Nolan
Fontana (Winter Garden, Fla.), left-hander/first baseman Brian Johnson
(Cocoa Beach, Fla.), right-hander Hudson Randall (Atlanta, Ga.) and
outfielder Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.), 2011 SEC Tournament Most
Valuable Player outfielder Daniel Pigott (Ormond Beach, Fla.), 2011
College World Series All-Tournament Team selection third baseman Cody Dent
(Boynton Beach, Fla.), catcher/infielder/right-hander Austin Maddox
(Jacksonville, Fla.), left-hander Steven Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) and
2011 SEC All-Freshman Team third baseman Zack Powers (Seffner, Fla.).
O’Sullivan also welcomes his fourth-straight top-10 incoming class.
