Scott Stricklin: Todd Golden committed to Florida basketball long term

Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin addressed the future of Florida basketball head coach Todd Golden directly—and his message was simple. Golden isn't going anywhere. "Todd (Golden) wants to be at the University of Florida," Stricklin said when he spoke with reporters following women's basketball head coach Tammi Reiss' introductory press conference on Tuesday.

I wish all those programs really good luck. I'm sure they'll find a good coach out there, and I'm glad Todd's going to be here for a long time. " The comments come amid potential interest from other programs in Golden, who has turned Florida into one of the premier programs in college basketball since arriving in Gainesville in 2022.

Golden led the Gators to the national championship last season and guided Florida to the best record in the SEC this year before the Orange and Blue were eliminated by the Iowa Hawkeyes in a heartbreaking 73-72 second round loss during March Madness. Stricklin made it clear that the university has been proactive about keeping Golden happy in Gainesville, pointing to back-to-back contract extensions as evidence of the program's commitment to its head coach. "When we have talented, successful coaches, we're going to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are appreciated at the University of Florida," Stricklin said.

"We've given Todd new contracts each of the last two years. He's a priority for the University of Florida, and we're going to treat him as such. " Stricklin also pointed to Golden's age as a reason for optimism about the long-term future of the program.