Notre Dame's 2025 recruiting class raises the floor for the future of the program

Notre Dame received a commitment from Tommy Ahneman on Monday. The 6-foot-10 center is the reigning North Dakota Gatorade State Player of the Year after averaging 28 points and 17 rebounds last high school season. Playing this summer with the Howard Pulley travel program, Ahneman went on to finish third on Nike’s EYCL Circuit at 20.7 points and leading the circuit with 8.0 rebounds per game.

This is Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s fourth commitment over the past 15 days. Including a pledge from five-star small forward Jalen Haralson, who is Shrewsberry’s highest-ranked recruit as a head coach. Each of the four commitments – also SF Ryder Frost, PF Brady Koehler, and C Tommy Ahneman – carry at least a four-star ranking by at least one major recruiting service.

There is still a long way to go in the class of 2025 recruiting cycle, but this four-man class is currently ranked among the top 10 in On3’s Team Recruiting Tracker. While this class might not make ripples across the national landscape or feature multiple sure-fire NBA prospects, it is one of those classes that we could look back on in a few years as a building block for sustained future success.

As you take a look across college basketball’s current landscape and see the tenured and successful coaches, many times you can look back at one class that changed their trajectory of success.

For John Calipari, it was his 1993 recruiting class at UMass that included Marcus Camby, Edgar Padilla, and Carmelo Travieso. For Mike Krzyzewski, it was his 1982 recruiting class that featured Mark Alarie, Johnny Dawkins, Jay Bilas, and David Henderson. While these programs had seen previous success, it was these classes that springboarded these coaches to new and sustained heights.

There are many examples of other coaches and classes that did this, and I am not here to say that Micah Shrewsberry is about to embark on a career like a Calipari or a Krzyzewski, but what I am saying is this is the caliber of a class that certainly could rise the floor for the current Notre Dame program.

This trend started last year as Notre Dame signed three players, each who were ranked among the top 150 players in their class by at least one of the major recruiting services. Let’s take a look at each player the four-man 2025 class.

Notre Dame’s 2025 Class Breakdown

*each player’s star rating below is taken from the On3 Industry Ranking.

Industry 5-star SF Jalen Haralson: The 6-foot-6 wing is a connecting piece. Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Haralson is playing his senior season at La Porte (IN) La Lumiere School. He brings a physical presence with a high basketball IQ. He is a quick processor with the ball in his hands and comfortable spreading the ball around from multiple areas on the court. Haralson is also a good positional area rebounder.

Industry 4-star PF Brady Koehler: The 6-foot-9 forward has a unique defensive presence. The Indianapolis (IN) Cathedral senior has a lengthy wing span, with natural instincts and quick-twitch athleticism. He averaged over 3.0 stocks (steals plus blocks) this summer on Nike’s EYBL Circuit. Offensively, he will need some patience, especially as he continues to add weight, but he has touch and he runs/moves very well.

Industry 4-star SF Ryder Frost: The 6-foot-6 forward is a shooter. The Exeter (NH) Phillips Exeter Academy senior shot over 44 percent from beyond the arc this summer. That was one of the highest marks in his class, across all circuits. Frost has a strong frame with a sustainable base and core, and he plays an efficient game. All of that gives him a high floor as a prospect, knowing what you are going to get from him.

On3 4-star C Tommy Ahneman: The 6-foot-10 post is a throwback player of sorts. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Ahneman is playing his senior season at Saint Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham Hall. Ahneman has touch on the block over both shoulders with good footwork and comfortable counter moves to pair with his go-to arsenal. He is a strong two-handed rebounder and is a quick processor out of the paint, passing the ball out of the double team.

Notre Dame Basketball

Despite these last couple of seasons (93-98 over the past six years), Notre Dame has storied and proud basketball history. Producing NBA players such as John Paxson, Bill Laimbeer, Adrian Dantley, LaPhonso Ellis, Kelly Tripucka, and Monty Williams among many others. Even current rostered NBA guys Matt Ryan, Pat Connaughton, and Blake Wesley all suited up for the Fighting Irish.

As the old saying goes, the lifeblood of any program is its recruiting. Last season, Notre Dame finished with the ACC Freshman of the Year in Markus Burton. They followed that up with a 2024 class that finished 36th in On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings. Currently, Micah Shrewsberry’s 2025 class ranks No. 7.