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Florida A&M University has added Giovanne Woods to finalize the rattlers' men's basketball coaching staff for this upcoming season.
In a statement secured by HBCU Pulse, head coach Patrick Crarey II praised the addition of Woods to his staff, highlighting his coaching abilities and the importance of bringing him on board.
“Gio is a big-time get for our program,” Crarey said. “He’s a phenomenal young coach from Montverde Academy, the best high school program in the country. He played ten years overseas and has that chip on his shoulder from his Division II playing days. He will lead our player development and will be an integral part of our recruiting efforts. Gio fits the personality and style of our staff. I’m very excited to welcome him to Tallahassee.”
Woods spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach and head of player development at Montverde Academy, which finished 2024 ranked as the top team in the nation. He was part of two national championships at Montverde (2022, 2024) and served as head coach of the post-grad team from 2022 to 2024, achieving a 56-22 record and winning the Central Division title in 2023.
After playing college basketball at Central Washington University, Woods played professionally for ten years overseas in Austria, Spain, Croatia, Finland, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela, Mexico, Iraq, and Tunisia before retiring in 2020.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Crarey explained his criteria for bringing coaches on board. He stated: “In recruiting assistant coaches to @FAMU_MBB, I was very intentional: relationship loyalty, recruiting network, winning pedigree, trending upward, strategic influence. Getting @CoachWoods86 and @CoachWalker_ from @EYBLScholastic is major. @CoachLymas is my right hand.”
The Montverde network will play a key role in recruitment moving forward, with many high-profile NBA players emerging from the academy, including Ben Simmons, D’Angelo Russell, R.J. Barrett, Luc Mbah a Moute, Joel Embiid, Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and future NBA hopeful Cooper Flagg, among others.
Previously reported by ClutchPoints, Marquette men’s basketball head coach Shaka Smart reacted strongly to FAMUs decision to hire Crarey as the new head coach of its men’s basketball team. This endorsement comes amid a significant transition for the Rattlers, who have faced challenging seasons in recent years.
“Patrick Crarey is a proven winner,” Smart said upon Crarey’s hiring announcement in April. “He’s a tireless worker who builds tremendous relationships with his players, helps them improve on and off the court, and holds them to a championship standard. This is a phenomenal hire by FAMU.”
Crarey has made significant moves since taking over as head coach of the Rattlers. This past summer, he added Shaqir O’Neal, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and a transfer from Texas Southern, which will enhance the team’s prospects.
Before being named the 15th head coach of Florida A&M, Crarey led St. Thomas University to a 61-27 record, two consecutive NAIA tournament appearances, and three straight winning seasons. He guided the Bobcats to a 22-9 record in 2023-24, earning the Sun Conference regular-season championship and reaching the second round of the NAIA tournament while finishing the season ranked 21st in the nation.
