Four-star PG Jonathan Sanderson commits to Notre Dame MBB's 2026 class

The on-court dividends of Notre Dame hiring Jon Sanderson as its new director of men’s basketball strength and conditioning won’t be seen until later this year.

But in less than a month’s time, the Irish have already benefited from Sanderson’s hiring on the recruiting trail. That’s because his son, Jonathan Sanderson, announced Sunday a verbal commitment to Notre Dame.

The younger Sanderson, a four-star point guard who will play his senior season at nearby La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere, has been on head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s radar for quite some time. The Irish offered Jonathan Sanderson in September 2023 when he made an unofficial visit the weekend the Notre Dame football program hosted Ohio State.

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At that time, Jonathan Sanderson was making a name for himself as a sophomore at Saline (Mich.) High while his father worked at Michigan. The family moved to Nashville last year when Jon Sanderson was hired at Vanderbilt. His son continued to be a star on the basketball court.

Jonathan Sanderson, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound ball handler, averaged 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game during a run to the TSSAA Division II, Class AA state semifinals with Ensworth School. He was named the 2024-25 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year for boys basketball due to his performance. Sanderson played this spring on the New Balance AAU circuit in the P32 League with Hoop City out of Tennessee.

Sanderson committed to Notre Dame after considering Michigan State, Illinois, Ohio State, Vanderbilt and others. Rivals ranks him as the No. 62 overall prospect in the 2026 class. On3 ranks him as the No. 12 point guard and No. 88 overall.

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Sanderson became Notre Dame’s first verbal commitment in the 2026 class. The Irish signed a 2025 class of four recruits that was ranked as eighth-best in the country in the On3 Industry team rankings.

Notre Dame is also recruiting 7-0 center Gan-Erdene Solongo, who is part of the Sanderson family. Jon Sanderson and his wife, Jenn, are legal guardians of Solongo, who is originally from Mongolia. He’s played alongside Jonathan Sanderson at Saline, Ensworth and on the AAU circuit.

Basketball runs in the Sanderson family. Jon Sanderson played collegiately at Ohio State (1997-99) and Ohio (2000-02). Jenn Sanderson played at Mercer (1996-00). Daughter Jillian Sanderson played on the varsity team at Ensworth this past season while still in eighth grade.

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