Lincoln, Nebraska – Pryce Sandfort is finding a familiar rhythm in a new uniform. The junior forward, who transferred to Nebraska from Iowa this past April, is flourishing under the guidance of head coach Fred Hoiberg, a coach Sandfort knew well before arriving in Lincoln.
Sandfort’s connection to Hoiberg dates back to his childhood. His grandfather coached against Hoiberg when the coach was a player, and Pryce himself regularly attended Hoiberg’s basketball camps at Iowa State. “My grandpa coached against Fred when he was playing … And we grew up going to his camps … So we always kind of knew each other and talked a little bit… And when I was in high school he recruited me really hard so that just made it easier when I was in portal,” Sandfort said, according to KOLN.
The transfer came after two seasons playing alongside his brother, Payton, at Iowa. Following the firing of Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery, Pryce Sandfort entered the transfer portal, and Nebraska quickly emerged as a frontrunner. The appeal wasn’t just the existing relationship with Hoiberg, but also the environment surrounding the program. Sandfort recalled the hostile reception Iowa received when playing at Nebraska, describing the atmosphere as “really cool” and something he “really wanted to play in.”
On the court, Sandfort is delivering on the promise that drew Hoiberg to recruit him initially. He is currently on pace to surpass his previous career-highs in scoring, averaging nearly 16 points per game for the Huskers. He has already matched the number of field goals he made in his two seasons at Iowa, where he played a reserve role. His performance reached a peak with a career-high 32 points against Illinois on December 13th, and he has continued to contribute in key Big Ten matchups, including 13 points against Michigan State and 11 against Ohio State.
Sandfort credits both Hoiberg’s offensive schemes and his teammates for his success. “Everybody sees how many open looks I get. Then you go back and watch the film and it’s like, ‘Wow. This represents an incredible set or incredible action (Hoiberg) is running to get me open,” he said during an interview on the Huskers Radio Network. He also highlighted the contributions of teammates like Rienk Mast, praising his ability to set effective screens. “Rienk (Mast) is one of the best screeners I’ve played with… He’s not going to shy away from contact….”
As of February 16, 2026, Sandfort leads Nebraska in scoring (17.5 points) and 3-point field goals (88), averaging 4.6 rebounds and shooting 40.2 percent from beyond the arc. Iowa is preparing to face the ninth-ranked Huskers on Tuesday, marking Sandfort’s return to Iowa City.
