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Florida's Todd Golden Named SEC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year
Golden led the Gators to the SEC regular-season title in his fourth season as head coach.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has named University of Florida men's basketball head coach Todd Golden as the 2026 SEC Coach of the Year. In his fourth season leading the Gators, Golden guided the team to the SEC regular-season title after they won 25 games and finished the season on an 11-game winning streak.
Why it matters
Golden's recognition as SEC Coach of the Year is a testament to his ability to quickly rebuild and retool the reigning national champion Gators into a conference title contender. At just 40 years old, Golden has already established himself as one of the top young coaches in college basketball.
The details
The No. 4 Gators finished the regular season with a 25-6 overall record and a 16-2 mark in SEC play. They ended the year on an 11-game winning streak, winning their games by an average margin of 23 points. Golden is just the third coach in SEC history to reach 100 wins in his first four seasons at an SEC school, joining former Kentucky coaches John Calipari and Tubby Smith.
- The SEC named Todd Golden the 2026 Men's Basketball Coach of the Year on March 9, 2026.
The players
Todd Golden
The 40-year-old head coach of the University of Florida men's basketball team, who was named the 2026 SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to the SEC regular-season title in his fourth season.
Thomas Haugh
The Gators' starting small forward who was named first-team All-SEC.
Rueben Chinyelu
The Gators' starting center who was named second-team All-SEC.
Alex Condon
The Gators' starting power forward who was named third-team All-SEC.
What’s next
The Gators will now prepare for the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, where they will look to build on their regular-season success and compete for a national championship.
The takeaway
Todd Golden's recognition as SEC Coach of the Year highlights his ability to quickly turn the Gators into a conference title contender, cementing his status as one of the top young coaches in college basketball.
