Who will Florida baseball face in NCAA Tournament Gainesville Regional?

Florida baseball has secured the No. 8 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament and will host the Gainesville Regional at its home field from May 29 to June 1. The Gators will face the Rider Broncos in their opening game on Friday at 1 p.m. ET, broadcast live on ESPN+. The regional features a double-elimination format, with Florida competing alongside the Miami Hurricanes (No. 2 seed), Troy Trojans (No. 3 seed), and Rider Broncos (No. 4 seed) for a chance to advance to the super regionals. This marks the 13th regional hosted by Florida under head coach Kevin O'Sullivan, who has led the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance in all 18 full seasons since taking over. The Gators have a strong regional history, with this being their 41st overall NCAA Regional appearance. The Gainesville Regional is paired with Southern Miss’s Hattiesburg Regional, with the winners advancing to the super regionals from June 5 to June 8. Florida’s first game will pit them against Rider Broncos, while Miami Hurricanes and Troy Trojans will face off at 6 p.m. ET on the ACC Network. The Gators’ schedule includes a 1 p.m. ET start time for their matchup, ensuring local fans can witness the action live. The tournament’s regional schedule spans multiple locations across the U.S., with other notable matchups including UCLA vs. Saint Mary’s (CA) in Los Angeles and Southern Miss vs. Little Rock in Hattiesburg. The Gainesville Regional is part of a larger tournament structure designed to test teams in a high-pressure, double-elimination format. Florida’s performance will determine their path to the super regionals, where they could face the winner of the Southern Miss-hosted regional. The Gators’ success hinges on their ability to navigate the challenging field, including top-seeded teams like Miami Hurricanes and strong contenders like Troy Trojans and Rider Broncos. Coach O'Sullivan’s leadership has been instrumental in Florida’s consistent NCAA Tournament success, and the team’s regional appearance underscores their competitive standing in college baseball. The Gators will look to build on their recent history while aiming to secure a spot in the super regionals, where deeper tournament runs are possible. Fans are encouraged to follow the action live on ESPN+ and the ACC Network as the Gainesville Regional unfolds.