Gators Baseball Confirmed to Host First NCAA Regional Since 2023

Florida will find out its specific seed and who will play in the Gainesville Regional on Monday.

Florida will find out its specific seed and who will play in the Gainesville Regional on Monday. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators baseball team has officially clinched its first NCAA Regional hosting duties since 2023, with the NCAA on Sunday night announcing its 16 hosts for the NCAA Tournament.

The 16 hosts, in alphabetical order, are Athens (Georgia), Atlanta (Georgia Tech), Auburn (Auburn), Austin (Texas), Chapel Hill (North Carolina), College Station (Texas A&M), Eugene (Oregon), Gainesville (Florida), Hattiesburg (Southern Miss), Lawrence (Kansas), Lincoln (Nebraska), Los Angeles (UCLA), Morgantown (West Virginia), Starkville (Mississippi State), Tallahassee (Forida State) and Tuscaloosa (Alabama).

Specific seeds and regional assignments will be revealed on Monday at noon during the selection show on ESPN 2.

🚨 2026 DI Baseball Regional Host Sites 🚨

👉 https://t.co/4UMGre4vOL

The 16 sites are listed in alphabetical order.#RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/fZn8Ism7HE

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 25, 2026

As it stands, the Gators appear to be the favorites to clinch the final top-eight seed in the tournament, which would give them super regional hosting duties should Florida win its regional. Florida has not hosted a super regional since 2023.

The Gators have been battling Southern Miss, Texas A&M and Florida State for the No. 8 seed. Florida's No. 11 RPI, which ranks ahead of both the Aggies and the Golden Eagles, give them the edge, while its season sweep over the Seminoles give them a head-to-head advantage. Southern Miss, however, is fresh off of winning the Sun Belt Tournament, which could be enough in the committee's eyes to jump the Gators.

Florida is currently the No. 8 seed in both D1Baseball's and Baseball America's most recent predictions, with Texas A&M as Baseball America's nine seed and Southern Miss as D1Baseball's nine seed.

"I think we definitely did," Caden McDonald said after Saturday's loss in the SEC Tournament when asked if Florida had done enough to be the eight seed. "We had convincing wins here, and, you know, the last month or so stretch that we've been on, we have been playing some really good baseball. So look at all the comparisons. I think the numbers are there and I think we definitely pass the eye test."

Sunday's naming as a host marks Florida's 20th season as an NCAA Regional host. The Gators previously hosted three in a row from 2021-23 before a two-year drought across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Condron Ballpark, which opened in 2021, has been a host in four of its six seasons as Florida's home ballpark.

For head coach Kevin O'Sullivan, this marks his 13th time hosting with Florida in his 19 seasons, including the cancelled 2020 season.

"I know a lot of people asked if we should be a top 8 national seed. My answer every year is the same thing. It's out of my hands. It's in the committee's hands," O'Sullivan said on Saturday. "I do think that we are one of the top 8 teams in the country, but it's not my decision to make." 

All NCAA Regional games will take place from Friday until Monday, June 5. Of the 64 teams in the tournament, the 16 winners will advance to the NCAA Super Regionals, which will be played from June 5-8. Winners of those advance to the 2026 College World Series in Omaha, Neb. from June 12-22.

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