Woods graduated from Morgantown High school with varsity letters in track and field. While at West Virginia University, Woods became the first African-American to play on the WVU men's soccer team and played an important role in WVU winning the Southern Conference Championship in 1965. Woods also ran on the WVU men's track and field team for one year. Captain Woods was very active in the ROTC which lead to his US Army career and being awarded the Bronze Star while serving in Vietnam in 1971.