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Florida coach Todd Golden just a bit outside with first pitch at Wrigley Field

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•05/13/25
Florida-Gators-Todd-Golden
Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden addresses the crowd during the National Championship celebration at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

Florida coach Todd Golden has been on one heck of heater in the last few months. His heater, on the other hand, might need a little work.

The Gators head man was tasked with throwing out the first pitch tonight at Wrigley Field. And suffice it to say neither the Chicago Cubs nor the Miami Marlins will be looking to bolster their bullpens with the 39-year-old coach.

Todd Golden stepped to the mound after warming up his arm a little bit. And, to his credit, he managed some decent velocity on his first pitch.

It would have hit a right-handed batter, though. The pitch carried far to the inside, forcing the Cubs mascot to reach over to make a nifty snag to avoid complete disaster. You can check out the first pitch below.

In any case, it’s a neat bit of exposure for the Florida coach, who is coming off a national championship with his program. Now the task for Todd Golden, of course, is trying to keep the momentum going.

Florida is hard at work rebuilding its roster, while it also waits on some key decisions from NBA-eligible players. One is already in: Thomas Haugh is back for another year and should anchor the small forward spot, while chipping in minutes at other spots.

Another is Alex Condon, who is currently going through the NBA Draft process, including taking part in the NBA Draft Combine. He is widely viewed as a potential second-round pick, so he might be best served by a return to school for another season.

Then there’s the transfer portal. Florida figures to be active there with its final roster spot or two. Could someone like Arkansas‘ Boogie Fland be a candidate to replace the departing first-team All-American Walter Clayton? Stay tuned as Todd Golden continues to work his way through the long offseason.

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