Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden has been accused of sexual harassment and stalking women, according to a report from the Gainesville Sun and other media outlets.
A Title IX complaint regarding Golden’s conduct was initiated on Sept. 27. He was accused in that complaint of conduct that potentially violated the school’s Gender Equity Policy. The Gainesville Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network, obtained a copy of the complaint.
The Alligator, Florida’s student publication, was first to report the complaint in a story published Friday.
Golden, 39, is in his third season with Florida, after spending the previous three years at San Francisco.
Golden is accused of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking, which occurred over the course of a year, according to the Title IX complaint. The sexual harassment claims included ‘unwanted sexual advances on Instagram, requesting sexual favors, sending photos and videos of his genitalia while traveling for UF and various occasions of stalking.’
In response to questions about the Title IX complaint, university spokesperson Cynthia Roldan Hernandez released a statement to the Gainesville Sun, “In order to comply with federal law, the university cannot comment on or confirm any Title IX inquiries, complaints, or investigations.”
The Alligator said it spoke to two women, both former students, who corroborated the details in the Title IX complaint. The complaint was sent anonymously to the Gainesville Sun and other local media outlets.
Under Golden, the Gators were 24-12 season last season, when they were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Florida, which has started this season 2-0, is scheduled to play Grambling State on Monday.
