Florida basketball coach Todd Golden named to Naismith Watch List

Posted by author February 21, 2025 Basketball

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Golden has led the Gators to a 23-3 record, including wins over No. 1 ranked Tennessee and Auburn.
Golden is one of three SEC coaches on the 15-person watch list.

Florida basketball coach Todd Golden was one of 15 named to the Naismith College Coach of the Year Watch List on Friday.

Golden, 39, has led the No. 2 Florida Gators to a 23-3 overall record and 10-3 SEC record in his third season, which includes the first two wins over No. 1 ranked teams in the regular season in program history. UF knocked off No. 1 Tennessee 73-43 in the O’Connell Center om Jan. 7, then beat No. 1 Auburn 90-81 on Feb. 8.

In three seasons. Golden has led UF to a 63-32 record. Last season, Florida went 24-12 under Golden, posting its most wins a season since 2016-17 and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

“My staff has done an incredible job,” Golden said. “I as a coach gets credit, but at the same time, without our staff and without our players, that’s what this program is. From my perspective, I’m trying to get the best guys in the program that fit the type of character we want and trying to maintain having a great staff.”

UF’s current No. 2 ranking under Golden is its highest since being ranked No. 1 at the end of the 2013-14 season.

“He’s the best players coach I’ve ever been with,” Florida sophomore coach Tommy Haugh said. “He’s out there hooping with us in the beginning, taking halfcourt shots with us. He’s just super engaged and he’s young, so he can relate to us a lot. Just his ability to do that and mesh with the whole team has just been great so far.”

Golden is one of three SEC coaches on the list of 15, which includes Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and Missouri coach Dennis Gates.

Florida next plays Saturday at LSU (6 p.m., SEC Network).