Florida coach Todd Golden will run the squad in Monday evening’s residence recreation in opposition to Grambling State regardless of being beneath investigation by the college for sexual harassment, stalking and different misconduct.
The varsity informed media shops on Sunday that there was no change in Golden’s employment standing.
“Todd Golden’s standing as UF males’s basketball coach has not modified. He can be teaching the sport Monday evening,” a faculty spokesman informed ESPN.
Golden launched a press release Saturday that acknowledged the investigation and stated he has been in contact with legal professional Ken Turkel and contemplating submitting a defamation go well with.
“For the final month, I’ve actively participated in and revered the confidentiality of an ongoing faculty inquiry,” Golden wrote on social media. “I’ve just lately engaged (legal professional) Ken Turkel to advise me on my means to deliver defamation claims whereas this confidential investigation is ongoing. My household and I admire the assist now we have acquired and stay assured the college will proceed its efforts to complete its evaluation promptly.”
The Alligator, a Florida pupil publication, cited Title IX paperwork filed on Sept. 27 that stated Golden has been accused of potential violations of the college’s Gender Fairness Coverage. They embrace acts of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and the stalking of Florida college students over the previous 12 months.
Per the report, Golden despatched “photographs and movies of his genitalia whereas touring for UF,” used social media to make sexual advances and request sexual favors, and stalked ladies. He’s alleged to have taken photographs of ladies, then ship the photographs to them, and in addition of constructing visits to locations the place he knew he might discover those self same ladies.
The Alligator interviewed two ladies who stated they’d complained about Golden, and so they corroborated the Title IX paperwork.
They stated Golden had adopted, then unfollowed, quite a few ladies on social media to keep away from suspicion, and considered one of them stated his attain to ladies was huge. He informed many ladies they have been “his drug” or “his good luck allure” earlier than video games, she stated.
“He simply had this manipulation tactic over everybody,” the lady informed The Alligator. “And he despatched us all the identical (messages). It was copy-paste to each lady.”
Golden, 39, was employed March 18, 2022, because the twentieth head coach in Gators historical past. He got here from San Francisco, the place he led the Dons to a 57-36 document over three seasons, together with a pair of 20-win seasons and their first NCAA Match bid in additional than 20 years.
Final season, in his second marketing campaign with the Gators, Golden led the staff to 24 wins, a No. 7 seed within the NCAA Match, and the SEC match championship recreation for the primary time since 2014.
After the season, Golden signed an extension that runs by the 2029-30 season.
The No. 21 Gators are 2-0 on the season.
Golden is married and the daddy of a younger son and daughter.
–Subject Stage Media