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Published on November 09, 2024
University of Florida Basketball Coach Todd Golden Accused of Sexual Harassment and StalkingSource: Unsplash/ Brett Jordan

The University of Florida's men's basketball coach, Todd Golden, is under scrutiny following allegations of sexual harassment and stalking brought against him by multiple women. The allegations, documented in a formal Title IX complaint unearthed by the school's newspaper, The Alligator, include sexual exploitation, harassment, and stalking, primarily targeting UF students, as per the WTSP report.

Reports of him sending unsolicited genitalia photos and videos, making sexual advances via Instagram, and requesting sexual acts. A former student described to Fox News a pattern of behavior that escalated from unexpected attention to unequivocal harassment, stating, "At first, it starts off slow, like, ‘Oh, wow. That’s odd. This guy is showing us attention. 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--k.’ It was a full grooming process with all of us."

The complaints against Golden include instances of stalking, with women describing how he would appear near their cars or follow them on foot. Fox News detailed one accuser's experience, where Golden would engage in what she described as really aggressive Instagram stalking.

Another shared testimony with WFLA about being called "his drug" and "good luck charm" by Golden in the context of basketball games.

Golden, presently in his third season as head coach, has not yet responded to the allegations, and the coaching staff has remained silent on the issue thus far. The Independent Florida Alligator's investigation revealed a suspicious pattern of social media activity, where Golden unfollowed numerous accounts, many of which belonged to younger women who later confirmed being blocked by him. These developments come off the back of a sports season where Golden's performance as coach had seen the Gators bounce back with a 24-12 record and an appearance at the NCAA Tournament, as previously reported by CBS Sports.

The university is investigating the behavior following a Title IX complaint filed on September 27. The consequences for Golden's actions, if the allegations are confirmed, are still unclear.

Tampa-Crime & Emergencies