Armon Gates is in his fourth season on the Husker coaching staff. A native of Chicago, Gates returned to the Big Ten after serving as associate head coach at the University of Florida. Gates has coached and developed all-conference performers at three schools during his coaching career.
At Nebraska, Gates plays an extensive role in nearly every facet of the program, including individual skill development programs, opponent scouting, game planning and recruiting, while working extensively with the Husker backcourt players.
In 2020-21, Dalano Banton became the second player in school history to record a triple double and was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, while Trey McGowens ranked fifth in the Big Ten in steals in his first season at NU. In 2019-20, Gates tutored Cam Mack, who earned All-Big Ten honors and finished third on Nebraska’s single-season assist chart. In his first season at NU, Gates helped the development of Glynn Watson Jr., who posted a career-high 13.6 points per game while finishing on Nebraska’s top-10 career lists in assists, steals and 3-pointers.
For five seasons (2013-18), Gates was at Northwestern under Chris Collins, helping the Wildcats to a pair of 20-win seasons, including the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. He also helped bring a top-30 recruiting class to Northwestern in 2014, while the 2018 class was ranked 24th nationally by 247Sports. Gates worked with the Wildcat backcourt players, including Bryant McIntosh, who finished fifth on the Big Ten’s career assist list with 700 en route to earning multiple All-Big Ten honors. Gates also worked with All-Big Ten performers Vic Law, Scottie Lindsey, Tre Demps and Drew Crawford, who also earned first-team Academic All-America honors as a senior in 2014.
Prior to coaching at Northwestern, Gates spent two seasons at Loyola Chicago (2011-13) during Porter Moser’s first two seasons leading the program. During Gates’ time with the Ramblers, Ben Averkamp earned All-Horizon League honors in both seasons, becoming the first Loyola player in five seasons to earn first- or second-team all-conference honors. Averkamp also garnered second-team Academic All-America honors in 2013.
Gates spent the 2010-11 campaign as an assistant at TCU, working with the Horned Frogs’ guards and helping Hank Thorns become a third-team All-Mountain West Conference selection. Thorns ranked fourth nationally in assists per game (7.0 apg) and was 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio. His 225 assists ranked No. 2 in Mountain West Conference single-season history, while he also averaged 10.7 points per game.
Prior to his season at TCU, Gates spent two seasons (2008-10) as an assistant coach at Kent State, helping the Golden Flashes to the 2009-10 Mid-American Conference regular-
season title. In his final year at Kent State, Gates was part of a staff that guided the Golden Flashes to the second round of the NIT.
Gates began his coaching career as a graduate staff assistant at Western Kentucky. In his lone season on the Hilltoppers’ staff, the team recorded a 29-7 overall record and reached the
NCAA Sweet 16.
During his playing days at Kent State, Gates helped the Golden Flashes to an 88-42 record and three postseason appearances. Kent State recorded four straight 20-win seasons during his time on campus, and he closed out his career tied for second in school history with 200 3-point field goals.
Gates graduated from Kent State in 2006 with a degree in leisure studies and earned his master’s degree in sports administration from the same institution in 2007. He was a MAC All-Academic selection. Gates prepped at Hillcrest High School and spent one season at Brewster (N.H.) Academy before attending Kent State.
Armon and his wife Ashley have two daughters (Gaida and Milan) and two sons (Kaiere and Blaze). Gates’ older brother, Dennis, was named head coach at the University of Missouri in March of 2022 after spending three seasons at Cleveland State University.
