Todd Golden releases statement amid reported Title IX investigation

Florida coach Todd Golden has released a statement one day after a story from The Independent Florida Alligator indicated he was under an active Title IX investigation.

Golden released his statement on Twitter, indicating he is considering legal action.

“For the last month, I have actively participated in and respected the confidentiality of an ongoing school inquiry,” Golden wrote. “I have recently engaged Ken Turkel to advise me on my ability to bring defamation claims while this confidential investigation is ongoing.

“My family and I appreciate the support we have received and remain confident the university will continue its efforts to finish its review promptly.”

Todd Golden has been accused by an unknown number of women of sexual harassment and stalking, according to a report from Florida’s student newspaper, The Alligator.

The allegations include sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking aimed at Florida students for over a year, according to a formal Title IX complaint obtained by The Alligator.

The University of Florida administration didn’t comment to The Alligator, citing federal law that prevents them from confirming or commenting on Title IX processes.

The Alligator also reported on the purported nature of the alleged sexual harassment outlined in the complaint, which reportedly 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.”

Golden is also alleged to have gone to various locations he knew the women would be, as well as taking pictures of them or their vehicles and sending them to them, according to the report. He is also alleged to have used Instagram to try and engage with the women, liking a post and quickly unliking it, but still causing a notification, according to the report.

The Alligator also spoke to multiple women who attested to the alleged behaviors from Golden.

One, a Florida student, said Golden stalked her both on foot and in his car upwards of 10 times and also responded to her posting her location on Instagram by saying he was in the area “waiting for [her],” according to the report. This woman also said Golden sent unsolicited photos of his genitalia to her, often when he was traveling with the team on the road.

“At first, it starts off slow, like, ‘Oh, wow. That’s odd. This guy is showing us attention,’” that woman said to 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.”

The Alligator also examined Golden’s Instagram activity, and found that he unfollowed 118 accounts between Aug. 1 and Sept. 1 of this year and that at least 20 appear to be “young women without connection to the Florida basketball program, or any other organizations that Golden has previous affiliated with.” The women confirmed with The Alligator that Golden had blocked them.

A second woman told The Alligator that Golden told numerous women that they were “his drug” or “his good luck charm” before games.

Golden is entering his third season as Florida’s basketball coach. He led the team to an NCAA Tournament appearance last season and has this year’s team currently ranked inside the AP Top 25.

On3’s Andrew Graham also contributed to this report.