Former Hawkeye Jack Nunge Reaches Sweet 16

Forward Turns Tragedy into Triumph at Xavier

Noah K. Murray/USA Today Sports

IOWA CITY, Iowa - When Jack Nunge announced in March of 2021 that he was going to leave the Iowa basketball program and continue his career at another school, Hawkeye assistant Coach Sherman Dillard went to Twitter to express his feelings.

“Hawkeye Nation, let’s throw so many positive vibes Jack Nunge’s way in hopes that this gem of a young man can continue on his path to ultimate happiness, prosperity and wholeness,” Dillard said.

Nunge landed at Xavier, and his path to ultimate happiness has taken him to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

“I’ve been dreaming about this moment, it feels like, ever since I started watching basketball,” the 7-foot Nunge told reporters after Xavier beat Pittsburgh on Sunday.

But that dream has included some significant physical hurdles and tragedy.

Nunge signed with Iowa as a senior at Castle High School in Newburgh, Ind. His decision was a homecoming of sorts.

Jack’s dad, Mark, was an emergency medicine specialist at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. When Fran McCaffery was hired as Iowa’s basketball coach in late March 2010, they moved into the same neighborhood as the Nunges. Jack and Connor McCaffery became friends, but it was a short-term arrangement. Later that year, Mark Nunge took a job as an emergency specialist at Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Evansville, Ind.

Five years later, when Jack was a sophomore, Dillard saw him play and suggested McCaffery check him out. This guy used to live in your neighborhood, Dillard told his boss.

Iowa would become the first Power Five school to offer Nunge a scholarship. That offer list included Clemson, Nebraska, Georgia Tech, Creighton and Vanderbilt.

Nunge committed to Iowa on Sept. 12, 2016, a day after Luka Garza had made a similar pledge. They arrived in Iowa City in the summer of 2017 and roomed together. Their careers would take different paths.

While Garza earned all-Big Ten, all-America and National Player of the Year honors as a Hawkeye, Nunge struggled to get traction.

Jack played in 33 games as a freshman, starting 14 games and averaging 5.7 points and 15.7 minutes an outing. He redshirted the following season, then returned to the starting lineup in 2019-20. He recorded the first double-double of his career in the third game, against Oral Roberts. But two games later, Jack tore the ACL in his right knee against Cal Poly and was done for the season.

He started the 2020-21 season as the sixth man. But on Nov. 21, 2020, his life changed forever. His father died, and Jack left to be with his family. His Hawkeye teammates and coaches attended the funeral virtually because of COVID restrictions.

Jack missed two games but returned. He was Iowa’s top reserve scorer (7.1 points) and rebounder (5.3). That included the best game of his Iowa career when he scored 18 points, added 11 rebounds and six assists, a career-best trifecta, in a 88-58 victory at Michigan State. But his season lasted just three more games. He suffered a meniscus tear in the first half of a game at Michigan.

Shortly after the season ended, Nunge announced he was transferring to play closer to his family. He decided to continue his career at Xavier on April 9. He played a total of 60 games at Iowa, starting 19 of them while averaging 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Fortunately, he’s remained healthy at Xavier. Jack averaged 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in 2021-22. He started 19 of 36 games and scored in double figures 25 times, including 14 of the last 15 games.

The Musketeers finished the season 23-13 after winning the National Invitation Tournament. Nunge scored the winning basket against Texas A. and M. in the title game on a bankshot with :03.6 remaining.

Sean Miller became Nunge’s third different college coach this season when he was hired to replace Travis Steele. Jack has started all 36 games this year, averaging 14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds. He’s scored in double figures 27 times, including a team-high 18 points against Pittsburgh to punch Xavier’s ticket to the Sweet 16.

After the game, Nunge’s past became a storyline with reporters. His answers, as expected, were teary and emotional.

“I miss my dad every single day,” he said. “These are tears of joy just because my family, we’ve been through it. My dad, he was there. That’s all that matters.”

Nunge reflected on all the time he’d spent in a gym working on his game, often with his dad by his side. Dr. Mark Nunge played college basketball at the University of Rochester. His mom, Beth Poppens Nunge, grew up in Aplington and played basketball and volleyball at Central College in Pella.

“I feel like my dad is just super happy for me,” Nunge said. “I feel like he’s a happy man right now.”

Jack’s career didn’t go as expected at Iowa, but there are a lot of Hawkeye fans who will be cheering for him when the Musketeers play Texas for a trip to the Elite Eight on Friday.

Cheering for his happiness, prosperity and wholeness.