Despite the surge of commitments last week, the Irish still lacked a crucial element for a program-ready class: a genuine big man who can hold his ground in the paint, grab rebounds, and defend effectively.
On Monday afternoon, Shrewsberry and his team kept their momentum going by securing another commitment for 2025:
A 4-star center from Cretin-Derham Hall in Minnesota (the same school as Michael Floyd and Joe Mauer!), announced his commitment to the Irish following a successful visit over the weekend with 6’8″ 4-star power forward target Tre Singleton.
Ahneman stands at a solid 6’10” and weighs 235 lbs, with the potential to add more weight. Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, he chose Notre Dame over finalists that included Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, along with offers from DePaul, Northwestern, Penn State, and others.
Ranked 106th in the 247sports composite rankings, Ahneman is viewed as a top-20 center in his class and the top player in Minnesota. He showcases a strong repertoire of post moves and the ability to finish with finesse around the rim using both hands.
He’ll need to continue building strength and improving his defensive skills, as he isn’t primarily a shot-blocker. However, he has significant potential to be a presence in the paint similar to John “Mutton” Mooney, adding much-needed size and weight for a program that has recently focused on guards and wings.
With Frost and Ahneman joining Koehler and Haralson, the Irish now boast the #1 ranked recruiting class—an incredible turnaround considering they had no commitments just a week ago.
The effort that Shrewsberry and his staff, especially Ryan Owens, have put in has been significant, and Notre Dame may not be finished recruiting for 2025. They’re still in contention for top-50 point guard Kayden Mingo, and with Singleton visiting alongside Ahneman last weekend and showing strong interest in the Irish, he might decide to commit soon.
Regardless of whether they secure more commitments, the 2024 and 2025 classes that the Irish staff has built are impressive, especially given the program’s recent struggles.
Of course, the talent needs to develop and perform—recalling the hype around the Laszewski/Hubb/Goodwin class and its subsequent underperformance. However, at this rate, it’s reasonable to expect the Irish to not only return to the tournament in the next few years but also potentially aim for deeper runs in 2025, 2026, and 2027. The talent pool is growing rapidly.
Welcome Ryder and Tommy to the Irish family! Here’s hoping for more recruiting success and steady improvement in Year 2 for Shrewsberry’s team as we look forward to the arrival of this new talent in the fall of 2025!
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