TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M Head Men's Basketball Coach Charlie Ward has announced the appointment of Jarrod Lazarus as the new Associate Head Coach for the Rattlers. This move marks a significant step in the program's ongoing efforts to strengthen its coaching staff and build upon recent successes.

"Jarrod Lazarus is the perfect addition as Associate Head Coach at Florida A&M. His leadership, passion for the game, and dedication to developing young talent will elevate the program," added Ward.

Lazarus is excited to join the program.

"I'm thrilled to join Florida A&M Men's Basketball and be part of such a historic program. I would like to thank Head Coach Charlie Ward for this amazing opportunity. I look forward to working with the team, embracing the culture, and helping take this program to new heights," said Lazarus.

He has been a part of five NCAA tournaments and four regular-season conference titles.

Most recently, Lazarus served as an Assistant Coach at Florida State University under Leonard Hamilton. Before that he was Director of Basketball Operations for five seasons for Leonard Hamilton and his staff. Lazarus's ability to quickly adjust with the knowledge he had gained throughout his career has helped Hamilton keep his program among the most efficiently run programs in all of college basketball. The Leonard Hamilton Team Camp annually boast one of the top, and largest, team camp components in all of college basketball. During his tenure with the Seminoles, Lazarus helped guide FSU to the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the championship game of the 2021 ACC Tournament, and the 2020 ACC Championship.

In 2020, he was an integral part of the first ACC Regular Season Championship in school history. The Seminoles finished with a 26-5 record and 16-4 in ACC play — the 16 wins in ACC play established a school record for ACC wins in a season. The Seminoles finished the season ranked No. 4 in the final Associated Press poll – the highest final national ranking in school history. Florida State was on their way to earning one of the highest NCAA Tournament seeds before the event was canceled because of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic. Patrick Williams (No. 4 by the Chicago Bulls) and Devin Vassell (No. 11 by the San Antonio Spurs) – became the first pair of players picked in the NBA Draft Lottery in school history.

During his two seasons at University of South Florida, the Bulls won 34 games and finished with a 24-14 record in 2019. Lazarus' rebuilding project came full circle in his second season with the Bulls. In 2018-19, he directed USF to the best turnaround in the NCAA by leading the Bulls to a school-record 24 wins, 14 more victories than the season before en route to winning the College Basketball Invitational defeating DePaul in a three-game series for the program's first postseason tournament championship since 1990. Along the way, USF won a school-record 18 home games and finished with eight wins in The American to post its most victories in league play since joining the conference in 2013. In addition, USF turned in its best finish in the standings in league history, won three road games in league play for the first time ever, won five postseason games in the same season for the first time in school history and had two five-game winning streaks in the same season for the first time ever.

Lazarus was the Director of Basketball Operations at Middle Tennessee State University before moving to USF. Lazarus arrived in Tampa following one of the most successful seasons in Blue Raiders history. In 2016-17, MTSU posted a school-record 31 victories, including a program-high 17 wins in Conference USA. The Blue Raiders were ranked nationally for the first time in program history and won the C-USA Championship. The historic team boasted C-USA Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year JaCorey Williams, and C-USA Tournament MVP Giddy Potts. In NCAA Tournament play, the Blue Raiders upset No. 2 seed Michigan State in 2016 and No. 5 seed Minnesota in 2017.

MTSU is the first program in NCAA history, as a No. 12 seed or higher, to record first round wins in back-to-back seasons over Power Five schools. Before being promoted to the Director of Basketball Operations position at Middle Tennessee State University, Lazarus served as a graduate assistant at Middle Tennessee State University in 2013. He managed the Blue Raiders' video operations, editing/scouting game and practice tapes, as well as monitoring reports of all student-athletes academic progress. Lazarus was responsible for helping with practices, team travel and Coach Kermit Davis' summer camps.

Prior to his arrival at Middle Tennessee State University, Lazarus was the Director and Assistant Coach for Gold Coast Basketball (2004-12) of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Serving under legendary head coach Marcos "Shakey" Rodriguez, Lazarus handled player development, training, budgeting, marketing, travel, and game planning. He assisted the team in posting back-to-back Sweet 16 runs at AAU Nationals and an Elite Eight appearance in 2008. Lazarus was also an academic advisor and holds the distinction of being the youngest member to ever win the AAU Leadership Award in 2010.

He graduated from Florida State University in 2009 with a B.S. in Business Management. Lazarus earned his MBA in Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University in 2016.

Lazarus, a native of Weston, Florida, married Joy Heriveaux in July 2015. The couple has a son, Jayden Carter, who was born in 2018.