Tommy Ahneman, a four-star Cretin-Derham Hall big man, picks Notre Dame over Gophers

Cretin-Derham Hall senior center Tommy Ahneman, the top big man prospect in Minnesota, added to a loaded Notre Dame recruiting class by picking the Irish over the Gophers and others Monday.

The 6-10 four-star recruit announced his decision on social media after his Notre Dame visit this past weekend. His official visit with the Gophers was cancelled after originally being scheduled for this week when the football team hosts USC on Saturday.

“He had some great choices there at the end,” Cretin-Derham Hall coach Jerry Kline said. “Coming down to it, he just felt right with the coaching staff and the culture with the players. Tommy’s a true [big man] who can dominate inside at 6-10 and 245 pounds, but he’s also working on his outside game. He can be a stretch power forward or center in today’s game.”

Ahneman, who also visited Iowa and Nebraska, transferred from West Fargo to Cretin-Derham Hall this summer with family ties to the Twin Cities. His mother, Erin, grew up in Minnesota and won a Class AA state title with Hastings in 1996. His grandparents had season tickets to Gophers basketball.

The Gophers, Iowa and Nebraska tried to lure Ahneman to the Big Ten, but Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry sold the talented big man on joining what he was building in South Bend and the ACC. The former Penn State coach now has the No. 1-ranked 2025 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports. Shrewsberry also landed five-star guard Jalen Haralson and two more four-star recruits.

“The chance to be able to be a part of one of the best recruiting classes they have ever brought in,” Ahneman told 247Sports about a reason he picked the Irish. “It’s just a selling point there and they’re obviously in the ACC, so it’s an opportunity to play against the best.”

After Fargo West won the North Dakota Class 2A title last season, Ahneman was named North Dakota player of the year after averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks as a junior.

Still, Ahneman had only two Division I offers – from North Dakota and Portland – entering the AAU season this spring with Howard Pulley’s 17U team. But he ended up with several power conference programs recruiting him hard this summer, including the Gophers.

Cretin-Derham Hall could be the No. 1 team in the state regardless of class entering the season. The Raiders are led by Ahneman, junior guard and Division I prospect JoJo Mitchell and sophomore wing Ty Schlagel, who was offered by the Gophers, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Kline coached former Gophers center Daniel Oturu, who led CDH to a state championship in 2018. Ahneman’s talent in the middle has the Raiders thinking about another title run, but he’s also made his presence felt off the court.

“Tommy’s really adapted well and adjusted well at our school,” Kline said. “We feel so fortunate to have him in our community. He’s really embraced our school and embraced the neighborhood of St. Paul and Highland Park area. It’s been a great transition.”