As a true freshman last season, Dorr played 17 games for the Cyclones, who compete in the Big 12 conference.
"Alex is really going to help this program," said Herbst. "He is a class act individual and a tough, hard-nosed and talented basketball player. Alex is multi-dimensional player who can score from the perimeter and around the rim. Very skilled and fundamentally sound, he knows how to play. What's really great is Alex will have three years of eligibility at U-Mary. Alex will be an important player for us next season as he adds depth to our front line, and he will be a key component in our future success."
A Class 3A first-team all-state performer as a senior, Dorr led Norwalk High School its first-ever state championship game in 2009 and was named to the all-tournament team. He averaged 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds as his team finished 24-3. The team captain as a junior and senior, Dorr set the school career scoring record with 1,380 points. As a junior, he averaged 18.9 points and 11.2 rebounds and earned second-team all-state honors. In addition to his all-state honors, he unanimously earned all-conference honors three straight seasons. Also a baseball player his first two years of high school, Dorr had the game-winning hit to send his team to state as a freshman.
Dorr earned academic all-conference recognition all four years in high school and posted a 4.0 GPA all semesters but one. The son of Michael and Michelle Dorr, Alex will pursue a business degree at U-Mary.
A recruited walk-on to Iowa State University, Dorr played 40 minutes in 17 games at Iowa State in his first season of collegiate basketball in 2009-10. He shot 4-of-7 from the field and made 3-of-4 free throw attempts while snaring nine rebounds.
"From the moment I stepped on the University of Mary campus for my visit, I felt completely comfortable," said Dorr. "I could tell the team loved being around each other, which I believe is very important when you are trying to win games. When I played with the team I was impressed by the returning talent and was equally impressed by the recruits U-Mary has coming in. Probably the biggest reason I chose U-Mary, minus the guys, was the connection I made with the coaches. Coach Herbst has had so much success in the past that I am convinced it will continue in the future. Coach Budde kind of went through the same situation in his college days with transferring, too.
"The biggest thing that stood out to me was the talent of the returning players in the program. And not only the talent, but the way the team enjoys playing together and how they share the basketball to get great shots instead of good shots. The support of the fans and the community also impacted me and I know that the gym will be rockin'. Personally, I am ready to do whatever is needed to bring championships to the Marauders!"
"Alex brings a broad skill set to the basketball court," said Norwalk High School head boys basketball coach Chris Larson. "To have a 6-foot-7 kid who can handle the ball and shoot it as well as he does is a great combination. Alex is a very tough player who is not going to be outworked by anyone. He is a very special young man who is a talented basketball player but a better person. Alex will bring an enthusiasm for life and a passion about basketball that will energize the U-Mary basketball family."
This is the second straight year Herbst and the Marauders basketball program has attracted a transfer student-athlete from Iowa State University. One of the top defensive players in the Northern Sun, guard Cameron Lee joined U-Mary for the 2009-10 season and proceeded to start all 28 games for the Marauders.
Joining Dorr in the 2010 recruiting class is Shaun Condon of Clara City, MN, Jalen Jaspers of Minneapolis, MN, and Michael Johnson of Grand Rapids, MN. Condon, Jaspers and Johnson are incoming freshmen who committed during the early signing period in November 2009.
In Herbst's first season directing the Marauders last season, U-Mary won eight more games than the previous year, jumped eight slots in the Northern Sun standings, and were included in every NCAA Division II Central Region rankings released during the regular season. After a 7-20 overall record in 2008-09, including a 5-15 mark and 13th place finish in the NSIC, the Marauders went 15-13 overall in 2009-10 and finished fifth in the Northern Sun at 11-9 to improve eight spots in the conference standings in one year. It was the first winning season for U-Mary since joining NCAA Division II and the NSIC in 2006-07, the first winning season overall since 2004-05, and first winning conference campaign since 2002-03.
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