Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- tprimm@fau.edu
- Phone:
- 561-297-1370
Terry Primm joined the Florida Atlantic University women's basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach in April 2017. In four seasons with the Owls, Primm brings a wealth of knowledge from many years as a head coach, assistant coach and player. Primm was promoted to associate head coach in fall of 2020 after being by Jabir's side since his first year in 2017.
In 2020-21, the Owls achieved their best finish in Conference USA since joining the league in 2013 with eight wins and a third-place standing in the East Division. During C-USA play, the Owls snapped UTEP's nine-game winning streak with a huge road win in El Paso, Texas. The Owls beat WKU to break a 12-game losing streak against the Lady Toppers and win at E.A. Diddle Arena for the first time in school history. FAU also won their first C-USA Tournament game with a 72-66 feat over UAB to earn a spot into the C-USA Quarterfinals. The Owls won their first C-USA Tournament game in school history with a 72-66 feat over UAB to earn a trip to the quarterfinals.
Primm was big in the development of some key players on the team, including the bigs. The Owls had three players within the top-10 in blocks in C-USA, a category the team ranked No. 2 in the league in (4.09 BPG). FAU was also key on the glass with 42.4 rebounds per game, the second best in the conference.  Forward Janeta Rozentale was one of the biggest threats in the conference, standing at No. 8 in rebounds (7.9 RPG) and No. 4 in blocks (1.3 BPG) in C-USA.
The South Florida native in Primm was key in Iggy Allen's memorable season with the Owls. She finished the league second in scoring (22.2 PPG) and third in rebounding (10.9 RPG) to earn C-USA Newcomer of the Year, as well as C-USA First Team and Defensive Team honors.
Primm was instrumental in helping the Owls achieve several milestones during the 2019-20 season. Primm had the opportunity to coach his daughter, Crystal Primm, in her final collegiate basketball season. The graduate transfer had a stellar campaign, finishing in the top-10 in points (15.4 PPG) and rebounds (8.0 RPG) in Conference USA, as well as sitting No. 7 in free throw attempts (214) and 29th in makes (137) in the NCAA. Crystal also was given a nod to the C-USA Second Team.
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Also in 2019-20, the Owls put up the third most 3-pointers in a season (211), which was fourth in the conference, while tallying the fourth best free throw percentage in school history (71.7). FAU improved in a myriad of categories from the prior season, including in scoring offense, where the Owls averaged 66.3 PPG in comparison to the 2018-19 season’s 57.0 PPG.
In 2018-19, Primm and the FAU staff brought in nine newcomers, including eight true freshmen, the most of any NCAA Division I team in the country that season. Primm helped coach Amber Gaston to one of the best rookie seasons in C-USA. Gaston averaged 7.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She shot 51 percent from the field, which was the best shooting percentage of any C-USA freshman.Â
In his first season as an assistant coach at FAU, Primm helped lead the Owls to a seventh place finish in C-USA, the program’s highest finish mark joining the league in 2013. Working primarily with the forwards, Primm helped build one of the nation’s best rebounding teams. The Owls averaged 42.3 rebounds per game, leading the conference and ranking 18th in the country. Primm also played a large part in bringing in FAU’s eight-member 2018 signing class.
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Prior to joining the Owls, Primm spent two seasons as an assistant coach with Coastal Carolina. He helped usher the Chanticleers into the Sun Belt Conference for the 2016-17 season. The team finished with a 13-16 overall record and went 8-10 in league play. In just their first season as part of the SBC, Coastal had key wins over Arkansas State, Texas State, Louisiana and Appalachian State and advanced to the SBC Championship Tournament. Primm also assisted senior guard Ced Gibson in earning her second consecutive All-Big South Second Team honor.
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In his first season with the Chants in 2015-16, Primm helped Coastal to a 12-18 overall record and a 7-13 mark in Big South Conference games. Coastal had several notable wins throughout the season, including its first-ever victory against Clemson on Nov. 15, its first win against Liberty in 20 years (to snap a 45-game losing streak) and a record-setting 105-15 win in the season opener against Mid-Atlantic Christian that marked the program's largest-ever margin of victory. Primm, who played a large role in scouting the opposition throughout the season, also helped in guiding then-junior guard Gibson to a All-Big South Second Team selection.
Before heading to Coastal, Primm was at Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches where he served as the head girls' basketball coach and director of basketball operations since 2013. During that time, Primm led the girls' program to a 39-11 (.780) overall record over the course of two seasons, and Oxbridge Academy reached the Florida High School Athletic Association Regional Final for the first time in the school's history in the 2014-15 season. His program also enjoyed success in the classroom as the girls' basketball team boasted a 3.50 combined team GPA.
In addition to his coaching responsibilities at Oxbridge, Primm also worked for the Miami Suns Youth Organization where he served as a coach, trainer and consultant.Â
Prior to Oxbridge, Primm served as the head men's basketball coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University from 2007-13. Primm's teams consistently faced the top competition in the NCAA Division II South Region and were able to knock off three top-25 nationally ranked teams as well as numerous regionally ranked squads. Included in PBA's notable wins during Primm's tenure was an overtime victory over North Greenville University in the 2009-10 NCAA South Region championship game.Â
Before taking the head coaching job at PBA, Primm spent several seasons as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Sailfish. PBA won two NCAA regional championships and posted back-to-back 20-win seasons in Primm's two year as an assistant coach from 2003-05.Â
Primm is the founder of the Top Performance Basketball Academy, and has additional coaching experience as an assistant at The Benjamin School (Palm Beach Gardens) and various camps. The Benjamin School won the 2001 FHSAA Class 2A State Championship with Primm as an assistant on the coaching staff.Â
A two-year starter for Palm Beach Atlantic from 1995-97, Primm averaged 18.7 points per game for the Sailfish to sit fourth all-time in the men's record book. He shot 57.4 percent from the floor while making over 37 percent of his 3-point attempts to rank in the top five in each category. He also ranks in the program's top five in steals per game.Â
Primm is a two-time graduate of PBA, earning his bachelor's degree in business administration before completing his master's degree in organizational leadership. His daughter, Crystal Primm, played at Duke and Auburn before spending her final year of eligibility at FAU.
