The Valparaiso University men's basketball program and head coach Roger Powell Jr. have announced the signing of Shon Tupuola (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg [Saint Mary-of-the-Woods]), who will join the program as a junior for the 2025-26 season.
 
Tupuola averaged 14.5 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore this past season at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, playing a key role on a team that won conference regular-season and tournament titles before going on to beat nationally-ranked opponents in each of the first two rounds of the NAIA National Championship.
 
"Shon brings physicality, toughness and athleticism to our team," Powell said. "He has an ability to make an impact above the rim offensively and defensively. He gives us even more size in the paint."
 
Tupuola scored in double figures 23 times this season and 35 times in his two seasons at SMWC. He played in 61 games and made 59 starts over the two years under head coach Jesse McClung, who is now an assistant coach on Valpo's staff.
 
"The coaching staff was a big factor in my decision to come to Valpo," Tupuola said. "When I was there, it felt like a family environment. It seemed like everybody was nice and the campus was really nice, too. The coaching staff sees that I'm going to keep getting better and developing."
 
Tupuola played two exhibition games at Valpo while at SMWC, including this past season when he poured in 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting while securing four rebounds in just 14 minutes of action. He had 16 double-figure rebounding performances this season and 28 total over the last two years. He posted 26 double-doubles in his two seasons with the Pomeroys, totaling 710 points and 743 rebounds over the two years.
 
"I would say a strength of my game is that I'm a really good rebounder," Tupuola said. "I like dunking and I'm an angry dunker. I'm going to bring some energy to the house. I'm really good at shot blocking and everyone loves a shot blocker and someone who can dunk, so fans are getting a high-energy player. My energy feeds onto my teammates, so the whole team is going to be energized. I think of 'ETT,' empty the tank, every time I play."
 
That saying came from McClung, who has been an influential coach in Tupuola's life.
 
"Coach Jesse was the first one who recruited me after my injury," Tupuola said. "He's been a really good role model for me. He shows me how to be a good person off the court, too. Being coached by him is the best. He doesn't coach by fear, he coaches by love. As long as you're doing what he tells you to do, he's got your back. I feel like my transition to the Division-I level is going to be smoother because he is with me. He knows how I think and how I play."
 
Tupuola describes himself as a late bloomer, as he did not start playing AAU/travel until his senior year of high school.
 
"I was benched my whole eighth-grade year and didn't touch the court," he said. "In ninth grade, I was benched. I didn't start getting minutes until my sophomore year of high school. I'm still developing my game. When I had my injury, I started giving up on basketball. Coach Jesse emailed me and we developed a relationship. I focused on rehabbing and studying the game mentally, watching a lot of old-school basketball. Now, I'm excited to bring the energy back to Valpo."
 
Off the court, Tupuola is deciding upon his degree program, with interest in digital marketing and business. He was a boy scout as a child and enjoys being outdoors including white water rafting, extreme downhill biking and four-wheeling. He hopes to at some point try skydiving. Tupuola also enjoys amusement parks and spending time with friends and family.
 
Among Tupuola's eye-popping numbers are his collegiate career highs of 28 points and 26 rebounds. He also blocked 124 shots over his two seasons at SMWC.
 
"I've put in hours of unseen work that is starting to pay off with the opportunity to play at the Division-I level, but I still have more to accomplish," he said. "One of my goals this year is to be the MVC Defensive Player of the Year. I believe I can do it, but not until I put in the hard work. This is a top-10 conference nationally, so I know it's going to be very competitive. It's not going to be easy, but if I keep outworking everyone, the sky is the limit."