Micah Shrewsberry Signs Notre Dame's Highest Rated Recruiting Class In The Modern Era

Last season, Notre Dame men's basketball team endured another underwhelming season. Head coach Micah Shrewsberry was headed into his second year at the helm after taking over in South Bend at the start of the 2023 season. He has an overall record of 28-38, but based on the recruiting class he's brought in, the tides could be changing for the Fighting Irish. For the first time in the modern era which began in 1985, Notre Dame officially has brought in a top 10 recruiting class. 

ESPN released an article earlier this morning about their final recruiting rankings for the 2025 Men's Basketball Recruiting Class Rankings and Notre Dame was listed as their No. 9 team in the country. 

"If Micah Shrewsberry can kick things into high gear in South Bend, he'll look back at late September 2024 as the week that took the Fighting Irish to a new level. Within a five-day span, the team landed three ESPN 100 commitments, including the program's highest-ranked prospect in the modern era.

It started on a Monday with Brady Koehler (No. 94), followed by the big target: Jalen Haralson, the best boys' high school player in the state of Indiana, with the Irish beating out the Hoosiers for Haralson. Two days later, ESPN 100 wing Ryder Frost (No. 79) also committed.

Three-star center Tommy Ahneman rounded out the group before the month ended." - Jeff Borzello, ESPN

Forward Jalen Haralson headlines this group and is the highest ranked recruit Notre Dame has landed in the modern era. Haralson is an Indiana native hailing for La Porte and was named to the McDonald's All-American game. He's a 6-7 winger with incredibly long arms and can score on all three levels. Shrewsberry managed to out-recruit Indiana, one of the bigger named basketball schools in the Hoosier state, for Haralson. With the departure of Tae Davis, Haralson will have the opportunity to crack the starting lineup the minute he steps foot on campus. 

Fellow Top 100 recruits, Brady Koehler from Indianapolis and Ryder Frost from New Hampshire, took this group over the top. Koehler is a 6-8 forward who can attack the rim and make plays on the perimeter. His play style is very similar to JR Konieczny who entered the portal this past offseason. Frost is a 6-6 sharpshooter that can be lethal from beyond the arc. He has a quick release, but has a quick enough first step to take opposing players off the dribble and finish at the rim. 

Saint Paul, Minnesota native Tommy Ahneman rounds out this class. The 6-10 center is the only three-star player in the mix, but is ranked as a four-star recruit by some outlets, like 247Sports. Ahneman is a traditional post player who is comfortable playing with his back to the basket. His skillset will pair nicely with the current big men on the roster. 

The Irish return several key players from last season to their roster including star point guard Markus Burton, shooting guard Braeden Shrewsberry and rising sophomores Cole Certa, Sir Mohammed and Garret Sundra. The incoming 2025 freshman class will likely see immediate minutes coming off the bench. If the Notre Dame men's basketball program turns around, it's a safe bet that the 2025 recruiting class will be a strong foundation for that surge.