Coach Shrewsberry Inks Three Future Irish
Jonathan Sanderson, Gan-Erdene Solongo and Nick Shrewsberry set their sights on Notre Dam
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Glenn & Stacey Murphy Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry continued to add on what he’s building in The Bend on Wednesday afternoon. Pen officially met paper for three future Irish as Coach Shrewsberry welcomed the additions of Jonathan Sanderson, Gan-Erdene Solongo and Nick Shrewsberry.
“We are excited to add all three of these young men to our basketball program,” Shrewsberry explained. “They will be great additions to our team on and off the court, because they love the game, work really hard, and are great teammates.”
The ties to the program run deep in this class. Jonathan is the son of Notre Dame Men’s Basketball’s Director of Strength & Conditioning Jon Sanderson. The Sanderson family is also the legal guardians of Gan-Erdene. In addition, Nick is the son of Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry.
Jonathan and Gan-Erdene are attending La Lumiere for their senior year, making them the third and fourth Laker products in the Shrews Era. Nick attends South Bend’s Saint Joseph High School, continuing that great local pipeline as well.
Jonathan Sanderson is a four-star recruit ranked 55th in his class by ESPN and 65th by 247 Sports. He’s a 6-3 point guard ranked top-10 at his position and second-best overall in the state of Indiana.
Last year, the Sandersons lived in Nashville, where both Jonathan and Gan-Erdene attended The Ensworth School. As a junior, Sanderson averaged 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals, leading the Tigers to the DII-AA State Semifinals. He was later honored as the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and a Division II-AA Mr. Basketball finalist.
Jonathan on choosing Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because it felt like the perfect fit for my style of play. I really like how they utilize their guards and the way Coach Shrewsberry sees and teaches the game. I also love the culture and environment surrounding the program.”
“Notre Dame fans should know they’re getting a player who competes every single play and is very high energy. I’ll do whatever it takes to help us succeed.”
Coach Shrewsberry on Jonathan:
“Jonathan is the ultimate competitor. He has a motor and a competitive drive that doesn’t shut off. His energy and passion are some of the first things that you notice from him once he steps on the court.”
“I think he can be great for us defensively, with the way that he can guard the ball for 94 feet. On the offensive side, he’s a really talented playmaker and scorer. His ability to shoot the ball while also putting pressure on the paint off the dribble will be a great asset to our team. He is also a tremendous athlete with a college-level body right now.”
Gan-Erdene Solongo is a 7-foot center from Mongolia, who also has dual citizenship with Ireland. A four-star recruit from both ESPN and Rivals, with the latter ranking him 93rd overall and the 12th-best center in the class.
Solongo arrived in the USA at 15 but needed permanent residence to remain after a year at The Flyght Academy (Ohio). Enter the Sanderson family, who became his legal guardians.
Last year at Ensworth, Solongo averaged 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, earning him Division II-AA All-State honors.
Solongo will be the first 7-footer to commit to Notre Dame since the turn of the century (2000-present) and the first recruit with Irish heritage since Ron Rowan ‘83.
Gan-Erdene on choosing Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because I love Coach Shrewsberry’s style of play and how much he focuses on player development. Coach Shrews and the whole staff truly care — they treat players like family and always push to help us grow, on and off the court.”
“I’m honored to represent Notre Dame as a Mongolian-Irish player — and to become the second Irish citizen ever to play here, after Ron Rowan. I’m ready to bring passion, power, and pride to the court. Let’s make history together.”
Coach Shrewsberry on Gan-Erdene:
“Gan has some physical traits that you just can’t teach. His size and physical strength are something that will help him immediately adapt to the college game. Although he hasn’t been playing the game for a long time, you can already see the growth that he has made from year to year.”
“He spends a lot of time working on his game and practicing the fundamentals that will help him become a really good player for us. He is a great teammate and someone that the entire Notre Dame community will enjoy getting to know.”
Lastly, the program welcomed Nick Shrewsberry, a 6-5 shooting guard who is currently enrolled at South Bend’s Saint Joseph High School. Last season, Shrewsberry led the Huskies to a 27-3 record and a Class 3-A State Championship. He scored 16 points in the state title game.
Overall, Shrewsberry averaged 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.6 steals as a junior. He tallied eight games of 20 points or more and shot 78-of-215 from three, aka 36.3 percent, which led the squad.
Nick on choosing Notre Dame:
“I chose Notre Dame because it’s so close to home and I spend a lot of time on campus and at the basketball facilities. Also, with my dad being the coach I already have great relationships with all the players and coaches, and I know I will fit in well at Notre Dame. I also already know how they play and know what to expect going into college.”
“It’s going to be really fun playing with my brother. He’s one of my best friends and we’re really close, so being on the same team will only bring us closer. Also, just being able to compete with and against him every day and seeing how much we both have grown since we last played together will be cool to see.”
Coach Shrewsberry on Nick:
“Nick has improved more than anyone that I have been around in a short amount of time. The growth that he took from his sophomore to junior season was tremendous. He improved his shooting, ball handling and athleticism, which added a different element to his game.”
“He has a tremendous work ethic and a very disciplined approach to improving his game. I’m not sure if there is anyone who has taken as many shots in Rolfs as he has. He is also a great teammate who wants nothing more than to see Notre Dame have success.”
