The University of Florida is taking a new and crucial step for its foreseeable future. On May 4, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee unanimously named Santa J. Ono the sole finalist for UF’s 14th president.
As the former president of the University of Michigan, Ono was often spotted socializing on campus and attending athletic events.
Although his time at the helm of U-M spanned just under three years, the success of U-M athletic programs under his leadership could be a sign of the trajectory for Gators Athletics.
At U-M, Ono saw the Wolverines snag a 15-0 season and the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. Their 34-13 victory over Washington in the final gave the program its 12th national football championship and first since 1997.
The title came with a slew of sign-stealing allegations and public scrutiny as the full sanctions around the situation are still playing out. Some of the aforementioned punishments will play out next season, potentially touching aspects that Dr. Ono had a direct effect on.
U-M found itself at the center of a public fight against the Big Ten and NCAA over the sign-stealing allegations in a battle to determine what competitive advantage Michigan gained. Ono chose the replacement for head coach after Jim Harbaugh left, settling on former offensive coordinator and interim head coach Sherrone Moore. Moore, who served one suspension for rule violations during the 2020 season, will be suspended for two games for his part in the sign-stealing scandal during the upcoming season.
The Canadian-born university president was criticized for not complying with the NCAA’s investigation and hiring Moore. While public disdain threatened the dignity of the program, Ono’s influence ushered success elsewhere in Michigan’s athletics department.
In the final year of his presidency, the Wolverines added another national title to their portfolio: a men’s gymnastics national championship for the seventh time in team history.
Ono’s reign also saw Michigan obtain multiple Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles across women’s tennis, rowing, men’s golf and softball.
Ono’s sports-oriented mindset allows colleges’ athletic departments to evolve. Before Ono departed from his first presidential role at the University of Cincinnati in 2016, he was heavily involved in the process for the Bearcats to join the Big 12 Conference in 2023.
U-M also changed the landscape of NIL in collegiate athletics after gaining a commitment from No. 1 Class of 2025 quarterback Bryce Underwood. To draw the touted prospect towards Ann Arbor, U-M tapped into its alumni network through billionaire media tycoon Larry Ellison to increase the university’s NIL fund and offer Underwood a four-year deal worth at least $12 million. While the length of Ono’s involvement in the venture is unknown, his focus on enhancing sports played a part.
The move to bring Ono in to head UF seems to be a winning move for Florida’s athletics. Ono’s interest in athletics may make him a friendly face for Gators fans.
His impact on the financial end may also prove to be a boon. As UF president, Ono would oversee a larger funding collective than that of U-M. Keeping and bringing in new athletes and upgrading athletic facilities could become early priorities in the new president’s agenda.
Despite the speculative benefits, reception from Gators sports fans has been a mixed bag. In an X post from Florida Gators Senior Writer Scott Carter about Ono and U-M’s perception of him, some responses were supportive.
Many fans posted positive GIFs about Ono. One user praised Michigan’s practices, writing, “I saw that UMich has a graduation processional for student athletes only in the basketball arena, and they are given a compass with the coordinates for Ann Arbor. They are told if they're ever lost, they can always go home to Ann Arbor. I love this idea and hope UF does that now!”
However, some fans voiced negative reactions on the same post. One user explained the risks of the presidential choice, writing, “The NCAA is about to put the hammer down on their football program, so yeah, he seems like just the dude to run our university INTO THE GROUND.”
While Ono’s term at UF won’t begin until late summer, he is set to hit the ground running as the university’s next president. His reputation and experience can take Florida’s athletic prestige to an even higher level. Only time will tell what is in store when Ono takes charge.
Contact Charlie Jones at cjones@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @CharJonesMedia.
Charlie Jones is a journalism sophomore excited for his first semester with The Alligator as a Summer 2025 Sports Enterprise writer. He loves spending time with his friends and family, devotedly rooting for his Philadelphia sports teams and watching niche sports like European Handball.
