Gators, Golden agree to 6-year, $40.5M extension

Florida coach Todd Golden, fresh off leading the Gators to the national championship, has agreed to a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension that keeps him in Gainesville through the 2030-31 season.

Golden becomes one of the five highest-paid coaches in college basketball, at $6.75 million annually.

He guided the Gators to a 36-4 record in his third season at the helm, winning the program’s third national championship. The 39-year-old became the youngest coach to lead a team to the title since Jim Valvano in 1983.

“My family and I are grateful to be a part of Gator Nation and for the opportunity to lead this great program three years ago,” Golden said. “As we’ve shown during our time in Gainesville, the University of Florida is an institution that has the resources, support, and people in place to compete and win national championships. I am so appreciative of each and every player and staff member who have been critical to the success we’ve experienced here. My family and I look forward to our future here at UF and to the continued success of our men’s basketball program.”

Golden took over for Mike White in 2022 after three seasons at San Francisco. He led Florida to the NCAA tournament in his second season, losing to Colorado in the first round.

This season, the Gators won the SEC tournament and earned a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament before making a run to the national championship game, where they beat Houston, 65-63.

“Todd has done an incredible job getting Florida men’s basketball back where it belongs,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We believed in his vision, his competitive nature and his modern approach to the game back in 2022, and he has validated that belief in a relatively short time and helped create memories of a lifetime for another generation of Gator fans.”

Golden was making $3 million under the terms of his initial deal at Florida, then signed a two-year extension last March that paid him over $4 million per year.

Earlier in the 2024-25 season, Golden was the subject of a four-month University of Florida Title IX investigation, following a complaint filed against Golden in September that included allegations of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyberstalking from multiple women, including students.

That investigation was closed in late January.

“We take these matters seriously and understand the need for the process to be conducted with strict confidentiality and discretion,” the University Athletic Association, which oversees Florida athletics, said in a statement after the school found “no evidence” Golden violated Title IX. “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.”

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