MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (April 18, 2024) - The St. Thomas University Men's Basketball team is excited to announce Zach Moss as the new Head Coach. Moss was here from the beginning with Patrick Crarey II as the Assistant and will build on what was already built. They combined to help the Bobcats get the furthest in the history of St. Thomas, the NAIA Sweet 16. Patrick Crarey II will become the Head Coach of the Florida A&M Rattlers NCAA Division 1.
When asked on the excitement level for Zach Moss taking over as head coach, here's what Athletic Director Bill Rychel had to say: "Zach has played an intricate role in building our basketball program. He has a great basketball mind and has proven to be a great recruiter. Those characteristics, with his dedication to St. Thomas and the team, made it an easy choice for a smooth transition naming him Head Coach. With Zach's experience in the Sun Conference and his relentless attitude to pursue championships, I am confident that he will continue to build from the success that he and Coach Crarey created. I am excited to continue to work with him in a different role, setting new standards for our program and department."
Moss was the associate head men's basketball coach at Ave Maria University for seven seasons, from 2013 to 2020, before coming to St. Thomas. Coach Moss played a key role in elevating Ave Maria to a nationally renowned school, winning their inaugural conference tournament and making their first-ever berth in the national tournament in 2019. At AMU, Coach Moss oversaw all scouting and game planning, and he guided the team to numerous top-ten results in a variety of categories. AMU concluded the season rated #1 in 3-point percentage defense in 2018–2019, #2 in scoring defense, #7 in field goal % in 2014–2015, and #1 in total rebounding.
At Ave Maria, Moss oversaw player development and recruitment. Strong ties were forged by Moss's unwavering work ethic inside Florida and worldwide. Most of the all-conference players who have played at Ave Maria were signed by and nurtured by Moss. AMU's past All-Conference honorees were recruited and developed by Moss; Washington's Deonte Dixon, Brazil's Felipe Salsamendi, Italy's Gianpaolo Richecio, Orlando's Romello Bates, and Miami's Marcus Montalvo all played a key role in transforming AMU's program from a nationally ranked program to one of the best in the nation. But none were as impactful as Idaho's Leo Behrend, Ave's lone two-time conference All-American. Behrend led Ave to its first two-in-a-row 20-win seasons. This season, Behrend will compete in his second pro season in Germany, and he'll be the fourth player to sign a professional contract in the past three years that have been developed by Moss.
Moss coached high school basketball for nine seasons in Naples, Florida, before moving to Ave Maria. Moss assisted three programs—two of which made it to their first-ever regional final—in reaching the state tournament. In addition, he helped many student-athletes in basketball and other sports. Coach Moss holds a master's degree in coaching from Greenville University and an elementary education degree from Florida Southwestern. He has three children: Kian, Kaia, and Koen. He is married to Danielle Moss.
President David A. Armstrong J.D.: "We are extremely happy that Patrick Crarey achieved his dream to be a Div 1 Head Coach at FAMU. He took STU to the NAIA Sweet 16 for the 1st time in school history & we will be forever grateful for the quality of men he coached & recruited here. We are very excited that his assistant Zach Moss, who helped build that culture of success, is becoming the next Head Coach here at STU. His work ethic is unparalleled & he is ready to lead our program to even greater heights in the future. Bobcat Nation is fired up for the Zach Moss era at STU!"
