Chazz Woodson

Chazz Woodson was born on August 9, 1982, in Hampton Roads, Virginia. He attended Brown University, where he was a four-year letterman in lacrosse, twice named the team’s Offensive MVP, and earned All-Ivy League and All-New England honors during his junior and senior years. He graduated from Brown in 2005 with a degree in Education Studies with a focus in Human Development and later earned a master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University, Irvine. His professional playing career in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) spanned from 2005 to 2017, during which he was recognized for his dynamic playing style, made two MLL All-Star appearances, and captained the Ohio Machine. He also participated in two USA Men’s National Team training cycles and was a member of the Premier Lacrosse League’s Redwoods Lacrosse Club.

Beyond his achievements on the field, Woodson dedicated efforts to community and sports development. He served as an at-large member of the Board of Directors for USA Lacrosse, where he was instrumental in developing the Sankofa Lacrosse Clinic Series, a program providing free lacrosse clinics to underrepresented communities in partnership with his charitable organization, the Sankofa Lacrosse Foundation. He also contributed as a consultant and development director for the Thailand National Team program for five years and was a founding board member and coaching director for Nation United Lacrosse, an organization focused on increasing diversity in the sport through elite high school lacrosse. His broader community involvement included serving as a big brother with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Miami, and mentoring young individuals through his various roles.

Woodson also has a background in education, having spent two years as a fourth-grade teacher at Phyllis Wheatly Elementary School and six years as a middle school physical education teacher at Ransom Everglades School, both in Miami. During these teaching roles, he coached lacrosse, basketball, football, and cross-country. In July 2020, Woodson was appointed Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach at Hampton University, his hometown area. Under his coaching, Hampton made historic moves, joining the Southern Conference in 2022 and then the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in 2023, where one of his players, DyJae Pearson, earned All-CAA Second Team honors, a program first. His contract with Hampton University was not renewed in May 2025.