Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/181992
basketball recruiting visit to Notre Dame's campus for the Michigan State football game weekend. "The visit was amazing," the 6-5, 197-pounder said. "It was everything I hoped for. It's a great campus, I love the coaches. I went to [watch a Notre Dame basketball] practice. I talked to [assistant] Coach [Martin] Ingelsby while they were practicing, and when practice ended we went out to an early dinner with Coach [Mike] Brey and three of the players." Ryan — who is rated by 247Sports as a four-star prospect, the No. 5 player in New York, the No. 16 small forward in the country and the No. 87 overall prospect in the class of 2015 — was originally scheduled to visit during the Oklahoma football game weekend, but with three players making official visits then, the coaching staff requested he come a week early. "My dad and I and Coach Ingelsby and Coach Brey sat down and just talked about what I can bring to the school, what the school can offer me regarding academics and athletics, and also after school. After that I hung out with [sophomore] Austin Burgett and [freshman] Steve Vasturia on campus. Saturday I played pickup at noon with the guys on the court, and that went awesome. "After that we went to the football game. The football game was very electric — the atmosphere was incredible — and after that my dad and I went back to the hotel and left Sunday morning." Ryan, who noted that he's closest to Ingelsby and Brey among Irish coaches, said he spent most of his time on campus with current Irish players Burgett, Vasturia, freshman forward Austin Torres and fifth-year senior forward Tom Knight. After he visits Boston College the weekend of Oct. 5, Ryan said he will focus primarily on his upcoming season of high school basketball, the ensuing AAU basketball season and let the recruiting process take a back seat. He expects to hold off on a decision until November 2014. He said Notre Dame will be among his final schools after being impressed on the unofficial visit. "I just have a great connection with Coach Brey and Coach Ingelsby, and I got to know the players and the way they play on the court. The offense they have really fits how I like to play and what I'm looking for in college," said Ryan, who intends to focus on pre-law. Ryan said he's glad he took the official visit to Notre Dame and is ready to concentrate on his academic and athletic responsibilities at high school after the Boston College visit. "Overall it was a fantastic weekend, and I'm really glad I went out there," he said. Ryan is still fielding interest and offers from programs across the country. Notre Dame, Florida, Pittsburgh, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Rutgers, and Boston College came to New Rochelle, N.Y., to watch him in open gym workouts at Iona Preparatory High School. His offers include the Irish, Boston College, Arizona State, Clemson and Creighton. ✦