Former Cedar Rapids Xavier all-state hoopster Adam McDermott decides to transfer to Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS — He missed home, and that's the end of the story. Nothing nefarious here.

Adam McDermott decided to leave the University of North Dakota men's basketball program after his freshman season because he wanted to be closer to his family and friends. He found what he believes is the perfect situation now at Northern Iowa.

That's where the former Cedar Rapids Xavier all-stater will transfer at semester's end in mid-May. The 6-foot-4 wing player and distance-shooting specialist will be a walk-on during his redshirt transfer year and said he has been promised a scholarship for his junior and senior seasons, if things progress as expected.

Whether he'll be a walk-on or scholarship player his sophomore season has yet to be determined.

'That's pretty much it,' McDermott said. 'I've been homesick pretty much the whole year. I can't think of a better place to be than UNI.'

McDermott played in all 32 games this season for North Dakota, coached by former Iowa Hawkeyes assistant Brian Jones. He started once, averaging 6.7 points per game and collecting a team-high 56 3-pointers.

'Definitely my role this season was to be a shooter,' he said. 'Coming into the year, I didn't know what to expect. There was talk about me redshirting, but I was able to do well enough to play. I'm grateful for the opportunity I got at North Dakota, but I'm looking forward to being part of a great program at UNI.'

McDermott was a first-team Class 3A all-state pick for Xavier two years ago as a senior. He is the nephew of Creighton head coach Greg McDermott and said he talked to his uncle after he decided to transfer.

But he felt UNI was a better fit.

'He supports me,' McDermott said of his uncle.

McDermott visited with Panthers Coach Ben Jacobsen over the Easter weekend and decided Tuesday night that Cedar Falls would be his new home.

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