Florida HC Todd Golden Headlines Gators' Dominance in SEC Awards

Golden named SEC Coach of the Year as Florida players earn multiple individual honors

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Florida Gators men's basketball team dominated the SEC's conference awards, with head coach Todd Golden being named SEC Coach of the Year and several players earning individual honors. Rueben Chinyelu was named Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Urban Klavzar took home Sixth-Man of the Year. Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon were also named to the All-SEC teams.

Why it matters

Florida's success this season has solidified Todd Golden as one of the program's all-time great coaches, and the individual awards highlight the depth and talent of the Gators' roster. The team's dominance in the SEC awards shows their potential to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Golden, in his third season as Florida's head coach, has quickly established himself as one of the program's best, winning his 100th career game in record time. Chinyelu's growth has been a major storyline, as he is the first player to win both the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards since 2014. Klavzar has provided a big boost off the bench, helping the Gators improve their 3-point shooting. While Haugh was snubbed for SEC Player of the Year, he and Condon were still named to the All-SEC teams, showcasing the team's depth of talent.

  • On March 3, Golden earned his 100th career win, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach that milestone.
  • Chinyelu recently set the Florida program record for offensive rebounds in a single season.

The players

Todd Golden

The head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team, who was named SEC Coach of the Year after leading the team to the regular-season conference title.

Rueben Chinyelu

The junior center for the Florida Gators, who was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Urban Klavzar

The junior guard for the Florida Gators, who was named SEC Sixth-Man of the Year after providing a boost off the bench and helping improve the team's 3-point shooting.

Thomas Haugh

The wing player for the Florida Gators, who was named First-Team All-SEC despite being snubbed for SEC Player of the Year.

Alex Condon

The forward for the Florida Gators, who was named Third-Team All-SEC.

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What they’re saying

“We're not worrying about it, but I could definitely make a case for him to win SEC Player of the Year, absolutely. I think if we're able to finish the way I hope we do, and we win the league outright, he's had an incredible statistical season leading us.”

— Todd Golden, Head Coach, Florida Gators (si.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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