Originally hailing from New Mexico, Real Woods made a name for himself at high school prep powerhouse Montini Catholic in the Chicago suburbs. He committed to Stanford as a blue chip recruit, qualifying for three NCAA tournaments in three years after redshirting as a true freshman. In 2022, Woods placed 6th at the NCAA Championships at 141-pounds. Having already secured a degree from Stanford, Woods transferred to Iowa following the completion of the 2021-22 school year.