Florida A&M University announced Thursday the appointment of Eugene Harris as the school’s new head men’s basketball coach.

The new Rattler mentor was formally presented at a 1:00 p.m. news conference at the Galimore-Powell Fieldhouse.

Harris comes to Florida A&M with an extensive resume as an assistant coach on the collegiate level, having worked stints at schools in the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and the Sun Belt Conference.

A veteran of 23 years in college athletics in the Southeast, Harris brings extensive recruiting contacts and experience along with his basketball knowledge to the Rattler program.

His coaching travelogue included whistle stops at South Alabama (1983-84), Clemson University (1984-94), Auburn University (1994-2001) and the University of Alabama (2005-06).

He also served as Assistant Athletic Director at Auburn from 2001 to 2005.

In addition, Harris has also worked in the high school ranks, most notably a two-year stint at Tallahassee’s Rickards High School from1982-84. Last year, he served as head boys basketball coach at Smith’s Station High in Smiths, Alabama.

Prior to accepting the FAMU appointment, Harris was a member of the men’s basketball staff at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

A native of Scottsboro, Alabama, Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in Health and Physical Education, with a double minor in Political Science and Coaching.

As a college player, Harris was a three-year starter for the Seminoles of Florida State under Coach Hugh Durham.

The guard was a co-captain of the Florida State team that won the Metro Conference in 1978 and was the team’s most valuable defensive player award winner for three seasons.

Harris and his wife, Phyllis, have three daughters.