Report: Notre Dame men’s basketball hires strength coach Jon Sanderson from Vanderbilt
Notre Dame men’s basketball has hired a new director of men’s basketball performance — one who comes with significant recruiting implications.
The Irish hired strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson from Vanderbilt, replacing Greg Miskinis, who left during the 2024-25 season. Sanderson’s son, four-star point guard Jonathan Sanderson, and adopted son, four-star center Gan-Erdene Solongo, are two of Notre Dame’s top targets in the 2026 class.
The elder Sanderson joined Vanderbilt in spring 2024 after 15 years at Michigan, following the firing of former Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard and the Commodores’ hiring of head coach Mark Byington. With Sanderson developing its players, Vanderbilt made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.
During his time in Ann Arbor, Sanderson helped lead Michigan to 10 NCAA Tournament bids, five Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights, two Final Fours (2013 and 2018) and an appearance in the 2018 national championship game, which the Wolverines lost to Louisville. According to Vanderbilt’s website, he has developed over 30 future NBA players during his two-plus decades as a strength and conditioning coach.
Sanderson began his career in 2002 as an intern at North Carolina, spent three seasons at Marshall and another three years at Clemson before joining Michigan.
As a player, the 6-foot-7 Sanderson played two seasons at Ohio State and two seasons at Ohio from 1997-2002. He was a starter on the 1998-99 Buckeyes team that went to the Final Four, scoring 5.4 points per game that season.
Jonathan Sanderson and Gan-Erdene Solongo: Two top Notre Dame targets in 2026 class
Notre Dame is recruiting Sanderson and Solongo as two of its highest-priority targets in the class of 2026.
Both recruits played their junior season at Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth but will presumably switch schools for their senior year.
The younger Sanderson is the No. 50 player and No. 7 point guard in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking. Standing at 6-foot-2, he’s considering the Irish alongside Ohio State, Michigan State and Indiana.
Solongo, a 7-foot big man from Mongolia, does not have an On3 Industry Ranking. He’s a four-star prospect by On3’s own rankings, though, coming in at No. 98 overall and No. 14 among centers.
His story — detailed by The Tennesseean — is incredible. He began playing basketball at age 14 and moved to America shortly thereafter, first playing at The Flyght Academy in Ohio. He eventually became AAU teammates with Jonathan Sanderson while crashing at various places, and in 2023, Jon Sanderson and his wife, Jenn, became his legal guardians.
Solongo moved in with the Sandersons and played with Jonathan at Saline (Mich.) High as a sophomore before moving to Nashville for the 2024-25 season.
Notre Dame already has one family connection on the roster: Rising junior guard Braeden Shrewsberry is the son of head coach Micah Shrewsberry. Two more might be on the way.
