Allison Bustamante has been named the eighth head women’s basketball coach in Barry University history, Director of Athletics Dr. Scott Smith announced.
“I’m excited to announce that local women’s basketball great Allison Bustamante will lead our women’s basketball program,” Smith said. “She has been successful in everything she’s done and is highly respected in the South Florida basketball community. I am confident she will continue to be successful at Barry University, and I look forward to working with her in this new role.”
Bustamante comes to The Shores after serving as the head girl’s basketball coach at Doral Academy, leading the Firebirds to back-to-back FHSAA Final Four appearances in 2023 and 2024, the first in school history. She compiled a 44-16 record and was ranked as high as #2 in the state by MaxPreps. She was named the Class 5A-7A Miami-Dade County Coach of the Year by the Miami Herald in 2024, after leading the Firebirds to a 23-8 record and the state semi-finals.
Prior to Doral, Bustamante served as the varsity head coach at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart for six seasons, compiling a 68-32 mark. During her tenure, she transformed Carrollton into a winning program and led the team to their first-ever District Championship.
In addition to coaching, she has run her own skills development company, AB Basketball, since 2017, training players from middle school, high school, collegiate, and professional ranks. Some of her proteges have gone on to play at the D-I level at schools like Virginia, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic and Wofford. She also coached Barry standouts Jackie Perez and Kiara Palmer.
“I’m honored and excited to accept the position as head women’s basketball coach at Barry University,” Bustamante said. “This opportunity means a great deal to me — not only because of Barry’s strong tradition of academic and athletic excellence, but also because of the values, vision, and sense of community that make this University so special.
“I am deeply committed to building a program that prioritizes the development of our student-athletes — as competitors, leaders, and individuals. My goal is to establish a culture grounded in discipline, accountability, and connection, where excellence is pursued both on the court and in the classroom.
“I want to sincerely thank the administration for their belief in my leadership and vision. I look forward to representing Barry University with pride, purpose, and a relentless work ethic. Let’s Get It! — Go Bucs!”
Bustamante was a stand-out high school player in South Florida scoring over 2500 points at Lourdes Academy. She was selected as a four-time First-Team All-Dade player by the Herald, a two-time First Team All-State, and two-time Miami-Dade Player of the Year. She was also recognized as one of the top 50 players in the country.
She played collegiately at Notre Dame and FIU, earning her bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from FIU in 2005.
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