Florida head coach Todd Golden accused of sexual harassment, stalking in Title IX complaint

Florida head men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has been accused by an unknown number of women of sexual harassment and stalking, according to a report from Florida’s student newspaper, The alligator.

The allegations include sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking directed at Florida students for over a year, according to a formal Title IX complaint obtained by The alligator.

University of Florida administration did not comment the alligator, citing federal law that prevents them from confirming or commenting on Title IX proceedings.

The alligator also reported the alleged nature of the alleged sexual harassment detailed in the complaint, which allegedly included “unsolicited sexual advances on Instagram, requesting sexual favors, sending pictures and videos of his genitalia while traveling for UF and various occasions for stalking.”

Golden also allegedly went to various places he knew the women would be, as well as taking pictures of them or their vehicles and sending them to them, according to the report. He is also said to have used Instagram to try to engage with the women, liking a post and quickly disliking it but still causing a notification, according to the report.

The Alligator also spoke with several women who attested to the alleged behavior of Golden.

One, a Florida student, said Golden followed her both on foot and in his car up to 10 times and also responded to her posting his location on Instagram by saying he was in the area “waiting for (her )”, according to the report. This woman also said Golden sent her unsolicited pictures of his genitalia, often when he traveled with the team on the road.

“At first it starts slowly, like, ‘Oh, wow. This is weird. This guy is showing us attention,'” the woman told The alligator. “And then it becomes, ‘Wow, he’s kind of crossing a line. No, he didn’t mean it that way’. Then it’s, ‘Wait, he’s stepping fully over that line.’ And then it’s, ‘Wow, there’s a picture of his d*ck.’ It was a full nursing process with all of us.”

The Alligator also looked into Golden’s Instagram activity and found that he unfollowed 118 accounts between Aug. 1 and Sept. 1 of this year, and that at least 20 appear to be “young women with no connection to the Florida basketball program or other organizations that Golden has previously been associated with.” The women confirmed with The alligator that Golden had blocked them.

Another woman told The alligator that Golden told several women they were “his drug” or “his good luck” before games.

Golden is entering Year 3 at Florida

Golden’s future status is unclear. Florida is 2-0 through the first week of the 2024-25 season.

Golden, 39, was hired as Florida men’s basketball head coach ahead of the 2022 season, coming over after a successful stint at the helm of San Francisco men’s basketball program.

Golden had worked as an assistant in San Francisco before serving as head coach there. He also served as an assistant coach at Columbia and Auburn early in his career.

Golden signed a contract extension with Florida earlier in 2024, according to Associated Press. This extension added two years to the length of his contract, running it through the end of the 2029–30 season and raising his annual compensation by $1 million. Golden reportedly earns $4 million annually under the terms of the extension.

His original contract with Florida was reportedly for six years and $18 million. In 2022, the original terms of the contract ran through the 2027–28 season.

Golden is 42-29 as the head coach for Florida with an overall record of 99-65 as a head coach. He is 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament, making each appearance in San Francisco and Florida.

He played college basketball for St. Mary’s from 2004-08 and had a brief professional career overseas before entering college coaching in 2012.