CEDAR FALLS — Northern Iowa men’s basketball is keeping two of the Des Moines area’s top high school talents close to home, as Panthers head coach Kyle Green announced Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the signing of Charlie King of Des Moines Roosevelt and Alfred Kolee of West Des Moines Dowling Catholic to UNI’s 2027 recruiting class.
The two early signees bring a combination of size, scoring ability, athleticism and defensive versatility to a Northern Iowa program preparing for its future in the Missouri Valley Conference.
King, a 6-foot-6 guard and two-time Iowa Class 4A All-State selection, arrives with an impressive scoring résumé that includes more than 1,000 career points and Roosevelt’s all-time record for made three-pointers.
Kolee, a 6-foot-9 forward, earned Second Team All-State honors following a breakout junior season in which he helped lead Dowling Catholic to the Class 4A state tournament semifinals.
Both players will complete their senior high school seasons before joining the Panthers.
Charlie King brings scoring firepower and versatility from Des Moines Roosevelt
King, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard from Des Moines, has established himself as one of the most accomplished players in Roosevelt High School basketball history.
Playing for head coach Joe Katich, King enters his senior season as a two-time Iowa Class 4A All-State performer. He earned second-team recognition following his junior campaign and third-team honors as a sophomore.
His success extends to conference play, where he was named Iowa Alliance Conference Player of the Year in both 2025 and 2026.
King helped Roosevelt capture conference championships in 2024 and 2026 while earning First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region honors in each of the past three seasons.
His individual accomplishments include reaching the 1,000-point milestone, setting Roosevelt’s career record with 131 made three-pointers and establishing a school record by scoring 37 points in a game as a freshman.
He has also earned Academic All-Conference recognition three times.
For Green, King’s combination of size and shooting ability makes him an especially attractive addition to the Panthers’ backcourt.
“We are excited about the addition of Charlie King, a high-level two-way playmaker out of Des Moines Roosevelt,” Green said.
The UNI coach praised King’s ability to score from multiple areas of the court, rebound effectively and defend different positions.
Green also emphasized the importance of bringing accomplished Iowa high school talent into the Panthers’ program.
“Keeping a homegrown, top-tier talent like Charlie in-state is a huge win for our program as we build for the future,” Green said.
King’s experience in winning programs at both the high school and AAU levels was another factor that impressed the UNI coaching staff.
He is the son of David and Jenni King.
Alfred Kolee gives UNI basketball a powerful 6-foot-9 presence inside
Kolee, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward from West Des Moines, brings additional size and defensive potential to Northern Iowa’s future frontcourt.
The Dowling Catholic standout emerged as an important contributor during his junior season under head coach Justin Einerson.
After gaining his first varsity experience as a sophomore during the 2024-25 season, Kolee developed into a productive player for the Maroons.
During the 2025-26 campaign, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while helping Dowling Catholic advance to the Iowa Class 4A state tournament semifinals.
His performance earned him Second Team All-State honors, along with Second Team All-Substate and Second Team All-Central Iowa Metro League recognition.
Kolee’s size and athleticism figure prominently in UNI’s plans, particularly on the defensive end of the floor.
“We are thrilled to welcome Alfred Kolee to the UNI basketball family as a key addition to our frontcourt,” Green said.
The Panthers coach described Kolee as a versatile defender with strong rim-protection abilities and the potential to become a major contributor on both ends of the court.
Green also highlighted Kolee’s developing offensive skills, including his ability to handle the basketball, attack defenders and finish around the basket.
Beyond basketball, the UNI coaching staff was impressed by his work ethic, attitude and character.
Green credited Dowling Catholic’s coaching staff for helping Kolee develop and expressed confidence that the forward will continue improving at the college level.
“We believe Alfred has received high level coaching at Dowling and is going to develop into an outstanding player in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), and we can’t wait to coach him here in Cedar Falls,” Green said.
Kolee is the son of Benedict and Theodisa Kolee.
Panthers build for 2027 with two in-state recruits
The addition of King and Kolee gives Northern Iowa two players with complementary strengths as the program looks ahead to the 2027-28 season.
King offers a proven perimeter scoring threat with the size to compete against larger guards and wings, while Kolee provides interior size, rebounding and defensive potential.
Both recruits have already earned All-State honors in Iowa’s largest high school classification, and both have experience helping their teams advance through competitive postseason and conference schedules.
Their signings also reinforce UNI’s emphasis on recruiting talent from within Iowa.
For the Panthers, securing two highly regarded players from the Des Moines metropolitan area represents an opportunity to strengthen the roster while keeping established Iowa high school standouts in the state.
The announcement comes during Green’s first season leading Northern Iowa men’s basketball.
While the current Panthers continue their 2026-27 campaign, King and Kolee will focus on completing their senior seasons at Roosevelt and Dowling Catholic before beginning their college careers in Cedar Falls.
The complete Northern Iowa basketball schedule, roster and additional team information are available at UNIpanthers.com.