Multiple women have accused Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden of sexually harassing female students, according to the school’s student newspaper reported Friday.
The Alligator, citing Title IX documents filed on September 27, said he has been accused of possible violations of the school’s gender equity policy. These include sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking of Florida students over the past year.
A Florida spokesperson declined to comment to student press and the university had not issued a statement as of early Friday afternoon.
According to the report, Golden “sent photos and videos of his genitals while traveling for UF,” used social media to make sexual advances and solicit sexual favors, and stalked women. He allegedly took photos of women and then sent them to them, as well as visiting places where he knew he could find those same women.
The Alligator interviewed two women who said they had complained about Golden, and they confirmed the Title IX documents.
They said Golden had followed and then unfollowed numerous women on social media to avoid suspicion, and one of them said his reach among women was enormous. He told many women they were “his medicine” or “his good luck charm” before games, she said.
“He just had this manipulation tactic over everyone,” the woman told The Alligator. “And he sent us all the same thing [messages]. It was copy-paste for every girl.”
Golden, 39, was hired on March 18, 2022, as the 20th head coach in Gator history. He came from San Francisco, where he led the Dons to a 57-36 record in three seasons, including two 20-win seasons and their first NCAA Tournament bid in more than 20 years.
Prior to San Francisco, he worked under coach Bruce Pearl at Auburn.
Last season, in his second campaign with the Gators, Golden led the team to 24 wins for the first time since 2014, a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the championship game of the SEC Tournament.
The No. 21 Gators are 2-0 on the season and are inactive until Monday when they host Grambling State.
Golden is married and father of a young son and daughter.