University of Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has been accused of sexual harassment and stalking by an undefined number of women, according to a report from The Independent Florida Alligator.
According to the student-owned newspaper, the school received a formal Title XI complaint on September 27, which includes allegations of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking aimed at UF students over a year. The claims regarding sexual harassment cited “sending photos and videos of his genitalia while traveling for UF, unwanted sexual advances on Instagram, requesting sexual favors, and various occasions of stalking.”
The Alligator spoke with two women, both former UF students, who attested to Golden’s behavior. One woman said that Golden stalked her “more than 10 times” in person, both in his car and on foot. She also said that Golden sent unsolicited photos of his genitalia to her and that his stalking became more aggressive over time.
“At first, it starts off slow, like, ‘Oh, wow. That’s odd. This guy is showing us attention,’” she 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 fully stepping over that line.’ And then it’s, ‘Wow, there’s a picture of his d*ck.’ It was a full grooming process with all of us.”
Both women told The Alligator that Golden liked Instagram posts of theirs dating back to 2023, sometimes even older. “He would go at such lengths about it,” the first woman said. “He would go back, like a year back, and like ten photos at once. Then, obviously, [he] followed up with a DM, always in vanish mode… Just really aggressive Instagram stalking is the best way to put it.”
The second woman said that Golden told numerous women that they were “his drug” or “his good luck charm” before games.
A UF spokesperson informed The Alligator that the school cannot comment or confirm any Title IX inquiries in order to comply with federal law. The men’s basketball coaching staff did not respond to The Alligator’s request for comment in time for publication.
Text messages sent from Hoops HQ to Golden and Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin on Friday afternoon went unreturned.
The 39-year-old Golden is in his third season as the head coach of Florida. Earlier this year, he signed a contract extension through 2030.
The Gators reached the NCAA Tournament last season and are currently ranked No. 21 in the country. The team is 2-0 with a home game against Grambling State on Monday.