Coach Armand Shoon brings a proven record of success, leadership, and player development as he joins the staff at UFTL. A former collegiate athlete and experienced coach, Shoon has built a reputation for creating winning cultures centered on accountability, academics, character, and high-level basketball development.
Most recently, Shoon served as Head Coach at Coral Gables Senior High School, where he quickly transformed the program into one of the premier teams in Miami-Dade County. Under his leadership, Coral Gables earned multiple State Tournament Regional appearances, GMAC appearances, and a District Runner-Up finish while producing All-County players and achieving a 100% graduation rate. His teams gained statewide recognition, ranking among the top programs in Florida’s 7A classification and reaching as high as No. 12 in the state, while also being recognized as the No. 3 public school team in Miami. Shoon’s impact on South Florida basketball was further recognized when he was selected to coach in the prestigious T.O.C. All-Star Game in 2024.
In addition to his high school coaching success, Shoon served as City Director for ProSkills Basketball, helping launch and expand one of the nation’s top AAU programs throughout South Florida. During his tenure, he successfully built and staffed multiple competitive teams while overseeing player development and organizational growth across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
At St. Thomas University, Shoon was named Lead Assistant Coach and was deeply involved in nearly every aspect of the program’s success both on and off the court. He directed player development for the guards while also taking a leading role in recruiting, scouting, film breakdown, academic monitoring, and game preparation. During his tenure, St. Thomas earned a national ranking as high as No. 25 in the NAIA Division II Poll, recorded a marquee upset over the No. 17-ranked team in the country, and finished among the nation’s leaders in scoring defense and offensive rebounding. The program also achieved the highest team GPA in school history while producing multiple All-Conference performers and an All-American Honorable Mention selection.
Prior to St. Thomas, Shoon served as Lead Assistant Coach at Florida National University, where he helped guide the program through one of the most successful seasons in school history. Florida National advanced to the National Championship Final Four for the first time in program history, earned the No. 1 ranking in the country, and set a school record for victories with a 25-7 finish. Shoon served as head of player development and played a critical role in scouting reports, game planning, opponent preparation, and skill development. He also organized community outreach initiatives and contributed heavily to the culture and discipline that helped elevate the program nationally. During his time at Florida National University, the program produced three All-Americans and six Academic All-Americans, showcasing its commitment to excellence both academically and athletically.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Shoon coached with Miami Triple Threat Elite, helping lead nationally competitive teams featuring multiple Division I and Division II players while competing against some of the top AAU organizations in the country.
As a player, Shoon had a successful collegiate career at Florida Gulf Coast University (“Dunk City”) and St. Thomas University. He earned multiple honors throughout his playing career, including All-Conference honors, First Team All-Conference Tournament honors, and Newcomer of the Year at St. Thomas University. At the high school level, Shoon led Westwood Christian School to the state championship for the first time in program history. He was named First Team All-State, First Team All-County, and ranked as one of the top guards in his class in the state of Florida.
Shoon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from St. Thomas University, where he was also recognized as a Dean’s List recipient.
