Florida A&M College ushered in a brand new period for its males’s basketball program Monday morning, formally introducing Charlie Ward because the sixteenth head coach of the Rattlers throughout a press convention on the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Middle.
Ward, 54, brings a storied athletic background and a confirmed teaching pedigree to the Rattlers. The previous Florida State College quarterback and 1993 Heisman Trophy winner, who later performed 11 seasons within the NBA, was greeted by college officers, alumni, and native media as he outlined his imaginative and prescient for FAMU basketball.
“This can be a great honor,” Ward mentioned from the rostrum, his voice resonating with each humility and dedication. “Florida A&M has a proud custom, and I’m excited to construct on that basis. My aim is to assist these younger males develop as gamers, college students, and leaders in the neighborhood.”
Ward, who performed soccer and basketball at close by Florida State, isn’t any stranger to the FAMU group. His father, Charlie Sr., was a quarterback on the Rattlers soccer crew. Each his dad and mom met on the faculty and he was born at a hospital that now serves as a campus administration constructing.
“You would possibly know me as a Seminole, however I used to be born a Rattler,” he mentioned. … “This (FAMU) is the one collegiate job I used to be keen to take.”
Angela Suggs, FAMU’s Director of Athletics, praised Ward’s distinctive mix of expertise and character. “Coach Ward is a winner in each sense of the phrase,” Suggs mentioned. “His success on the sector, on the courtroom, and as a coach speaks for itself. However what really units him aside is his dedication to growing student-athletes on and off the courtroom.”
“This can be a robust second for me. I’m really honored,” Charlie Ward mentioned Monday throughout a press convention held by @famu_1887 college.
Welcome to the Hill Coach Ward. #FangsUp #FAMUly #OneFAMU #FAMUAlumni #FAMUrattlers #FAMU pic.twitter.com/lRQA3Zyuys
— FAMU NAA Florida Area (@flregionfamunaa) April 21, 2025
Ward’s five-year, $975,000 contract was accredited by the college’s Board of Trustees, with a beginning wage of $175,000 for the 2025-26 season and annual will increase thereafter. Interim President Timothy L. Beard, Ph.D., highlighted the importance of Ward’s arrival: “Charlie Ward embodies the values we cherish at FAMU—excellence, integrity, and repair. We’re assured he’ll lead our program to new heights.”
Ward, who just lately led Florida Excessive to a state basketball championship, emphasised his deep ties to the Tallahassee group and his intent to leverage native recruiting networks. “I do know the expertise on this state, and I look ahead to bringing in student-athletes who perceive what it means to put on the Rattler uniform,” he mentioned.
The Rattlers, who completed final season 14-17, are aiming for his or her first NCAA Match look since 2007. Ward’s appointment marks a brand new chapter for this system, one which college leaders and followers hope shall be outlined by each athletic and tutorial achievement.
Because the press convention concluded, Ward summed up his method with a nod to his multi-sport roots: “Whether or not it’s soccer, basketball, or life, the bottom line is preparation and perseverance. I’m able to get to work.”
