GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A sexual assault complaint has been filed against Florida men’s basketball assistant Taurean Green while the university continues to investigate head coach Todd Golden for alleged Title IX violations.
ESPN reported Thursday that an employee of the university’s athletics department formally filed the complaint with the school’s Title IX office two days earlier. The woman agreed to meet Green in March 2024 on campus, where Green kissed her and tried to put his hand down her pants, according to a copy of the complaint reviewed by ESPN.
The woman, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, pulled Green’s hand away, said no and left. She told ESPN she had never been alone with Green previously and had only exchanged casual greetings with him on campus.
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 the Golden 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.
She told ESPN she first reported her allegations in mid-December to Florida deputy athletics director Amy Meyers Hass.
The university is still investigating a Sept. 27 Title IX complaint against Golden that includes allegations of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking, according to copies of the complaint.
The complaint accuses Golden of sending photos and videos of his genitalia, making unwanted sexual advances on Instagram and requesting sexual favors.
Title IX is designed to protect students from discrimination, including sexual harassment. Florida outsources its Title IX investigations to Grand River Solutions, a private firm based in California.
Golden initially signed a six-year, $18 million contract to take over at Florida and agreed to a two-year extension in March 2024 that will keep him at Florida through the 2029-30 season. 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.”
The contract 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.
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