Men's Basketball | August 12, 2026

MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State University head men's basketball coach Carl Little announced his coaching staff for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday morning.  Coach Little, who was introduced as the head coach in June, brings in three new coaches to his staff.  His staff includes Ray Johnson, Rodnic Ward, and Joe Marcinko. 
 
"I think with the guys we brought in, it is so important to have coaches that care about the players not only with the wins and losses, but for them to be better men and better citizens for the country and Clayton State," said Coach Little.
 
ASSISTANT COACH RAY JOHNSON
"Ray Johnson is someone who I have known for a while and he has been my assistant before on the All-Army Team," said Coach Little. "We won championships together.  He brought winning Peach Belt experience when he was with Augusta.  He has been in Division I, II, and NAIA and had some time working with the NBA in the operations program.  His experience will bring a lot of value to these guys and make them better players on and off the court."
 
Coach Johnson, prior to Clayton State, served in many different roles including most recently serving in the NBA in the operations department.  He then had stints as assistant coaches with South Georgia Tech, Columbus State, Hawaii Pacific, VCU, IU-Southeast, and Augusta.  Most notably, Coach Johnson served as the Assistant Coach for Coach Little on the All-Army team.  Overall, Coach Johnson mentored 13 professional players, five All-Americans, three JUCO top 100 players, 12 all-conference players, and six USA Armed Forces team participants.  In 2022, Coach Johnson earned the Armed Forces Gold Medal.  Ray graduated from Concordia University-Irvine with a Bachelor of Science in Management and with this Master of Coaching & Sport Administration. 
 
ASSISTANT COACH RODNIC WARD
"Rodnic Ward is someone who I have known for a while," said Coach Little.  "He had time in the Peach Belt when he was at Georgia College.  I also knew him from the Military specifically from the Navy.  He has won championships and had a great playing career as well.  He brings good guard experience and great leadership.  He also has various experience developing players throughout his time as a coach."
 
Coach Ward was most recently an assistant coach at Georgia College & State for the 2021-22 season.  That season, the Bobcats finished 21-8 and earned an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament.  Most of his coaching experience stems from the military where he served as a coach on the All-Navy team and All-Armed Forces Basketball Program.  His coaching experience includes both the men's and women's teams and his teams have competed internationally in China and Belgium.  Coach Ward also was the Director of Operations with Momentum Sports Management, which is an organization that works with both domestic and international athletes supporting player placement, contract negotiations, career development, and NIL opportunities.  This position has taught him the complete understanding of the student-athlete pathway through professional development and career transition. 
 
Coach Ward graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies and Master of Business Administration.  He is currently working towards his Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Sport Administration from St. Thomas University. 
 
ASSISTANT COACH JOE MARCINKO
"Joe Marcinko was a head high school coach last year, so he is able to reach guys on a different level" said Coach Little.  "He is close to the game and is learning the college game.  He brings great leadership, great experience, and care for the guys."
 
Coach Marcinko comes to Morrow after serving as the head coach for Morgan High School in McConnelsville, Ohio.  Prior to leading MHS, Marcinko as the Head Coach at John Glenn Junior High and was a varsity assistant coach at Trimble High School.  Coach Marcinko was equally as invested in developing the student athlete off the court as he was big into recruiting and mentorship of individuals to build character, work ethic, academic goals, and competitive drive.
 
 Joe is a native of Meigs County in Ohio and served 17 years in the Army before retiring.  His distinguished career includes being deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.  Marcinko graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Physical Education where he was a practice squad player for the women's basketball team. 
 
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