University of Florida coach Todd Golden cleared in Title IX investigation regarding stalking allegations

The University of Florida has cleared men’s basketball coach Todd Golden following a four-month Title IX investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking.

The school released a statement Monday saying no evidence was found and ended its investigation. It comes amid No. 5 Florida’s best season in a decade, with the Gators having won 18 of their first 20 games.

UF coach accused of stalking, sexual harassment and exploitation

The backstory:

According to UF's student newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, several current and former students filed complaints against Golden, accusing him of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, stalking and cyberstalking.

The report also stated Golden used his Instagram account to follow and engage with the young women, sending them unwanted sexual advances and explicit images, allegedly including images of his own genitalia.

Golden previously sidestepped chances to deny the allegations "out of the respect to the process" and threatened legal action, presumably against his publicly unnamed accusers. He also ripped proceedings that are supposed to be confidential.

"I am just frustrated and disappointed that a Title IX mechanism that is created to protect both sides during a situation like this — that confidentiality and privacy continues to be abused," Golden said earlier this month after assistant coach Taurean Green was accused of sexual assault in another Title IX case.

Dig deeper:

Todd Golden was named the head coach of UF's men's basketball team in 2022.

The 39-year-old coach signed a two-year contract extension last March that included a $1 million raise and brought his annual salary to $4 million. The deal runs through the 2029-30 season. He is 58-31 in three seasons.

His contract prohibits "romantic, amorous and/or sexual relationships between any coach or other employee of the Association and any student athlete or other person subject to the supervision, control and/or authority of such coach or other employee."

It also says the university can take disciplinary action if the coach acts in a manner "that has an ‘adverse effect’ or causes an ‘adverse reflection,’ on the reputation, mission and/or interests" of the athletic department or the university.

The school’s University Athletic Association supported Golden throughout the investigation and backed his confidentiality comment following the case’s dismissal.

The case against Green, meanwhile, is still ongoing. Green is accused of kissing an athletic department employee and trying to put his hand down her pants in March 2024, according to a complaint reviewed by ESPN.

The woman said she did not report the alleged incident at the time, in part because of Green’s status. Green, who won NCAA championships as a player with the Gators in 2006 and 2007, joined the basketball staff in 2022 following a professional basketball career. The woman told ESPN she came forward after Title IX investigators working on Golden’s case asked to interview her last fall about Golden’s interactions with female athletes. She said that inquiry made her realize there could be concerns about a pattern of behavior within the program.

What they're saying:

"The University of Florida takes these matters seriously and works deliberately to ensure that due process is upheld for everyone," university spokesman Steve Orlando said in a statement. "After a thorough investigation that included dozens of interviews over the past months, the University of Florida has found no evidence that Todd Golden violated Title IX. The Title IX office has closed its investigation."

"The UAA acknowledges the completion of the review," the UAA said in a statement. "We take these matters seriously and understand the need for the process to be conducted with strict confidentiality and discretion. Throughout this process, Coach Golden has demonstrated tremendous focus and professionalism, and we commend him for that. As the Gators move forward, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting a championship experience with integrity."

"The last several months have been a challenge for my family and me while this process dragged on," Golden said in a statement posted on X. "We asked for the public to allow this process to work through to its conclusion and not rush to judgement based on allegations. The UAA and so many at the University have been tremendously supportive — my family and I are extremely grateful. And thank you to our fans for your incredible support for our players and our program. It has made a huge difference."

What is Title IX?

Title IX is designed to protect students from discrimination, including sexual harassment. Florida began outsourcing its Title IX investigations in 2023 to Grand River Solutions, a private firm based in California.

The Source: This story was written using information from the Associated Press and previous FOX 13 News reports. 

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