—Messenger Photo by Britt Kudla st. edmond's hunter horn, the Class 1A Player of the Year, has committed to play basketball at Upper Iowa.

Hunter Horn went on plenty of visits and met with numerous college basketball coaches throughout his senior season for St. Edmond.

But Horn wanted to wait until he had put the finishing touches on his Gael career before making his decision.

That time came earlier this week when Horn committed to Upper Iowa University, a NCAA Div. II program located in Fayette.

“The D2 level has always been my goal, and with how everything is changing in recent years, it definitely makes it harder to go that level,” Horn said. “I’ve always wanted to push myself to go as high of level as I could, so I’m just super grateful for the opportunity.

“I feel like the family atmosphere, the campus and the coaches area really what made Upper Iowa the school for me. After talking to (Head) Coach (Casey) Kasperbauer and spending the day up, there I knew it was the one.”

Along with Upper Iowa, Horn also considered Buena Vista, Simpson, Nebraska Wesleyan, Iowa Central and Winona State.

Horn concluded his St. Edmond career as the all-time leading scorer in program history, leading them to the Class 1A state basketball championship this past winter. He earned all-state honors as a junior and senior while being named the 1A player of the year.

On the season, Horn averaged 26 points, 9.5 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal per game, shooting over 56 percent from the field. He scored 1,853 points in three seasons with the Gaels, including 725 this past year, which led all players in the state.

“It’s super rewarding (to commit to a program like Upper Iowa),” Horn said. “It’s always been a goal of mine to play at that level and to finally get to that point and be able to commit feels great.

“I can’t wait to get back to work.”

Upper Iowa finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 17-11, including a 12-8 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. They are coached by Casey Kasperbauer, a former Carroll High School standout who went on to play for the University of South Dakota.