Indiana Hoosiers Recruiting: 5'7" PG Ashlinn James becomes the first recruit for Teri Moren's 2026 recruiting class

Ashlinn James, a top-prospect point guard from the Class of 2026, committed to coach Teri Moren’s Indiana Hoosiers on Monday. The 5-foot-7 point guard chose to join the Hoosiers despite offers from Marquette, Saint Louis and Miami.

She transferred from DuPont Manual High School to Assumption High School, both in Louisville, last year. On Friday, James visited Indiana University to attend Hoosier Hysteria, which is a charity event that also serves as a warm-up to the upcoming men's and women's basketball seasons. James later communicated her decision to commit to the organization. The Louisville-born player took to her Instagram handle to share the news.

The caption read: “📍Louisville KY ➡️ 📍Bloomington Indiana."

James shared her thoughts about her visit to IU with On3. The youngster said that it felt like family right from the beginning, and she loved the coaching staff and enjoyed talking with them.

“They texted me and called me consistently. When I brought my family up, they were very welcoming and my family loved them,” James said.

James is very fond of former player and current assistant coach Keyanna Warthen. She is also a fan of former player and recruiter Ali Patberg. James spent significant time with both Warthen and Patberg, which helped influene her decision. She also said that her dad and Patberg are always in touch.

“So anytime I come up there, I’m always around them too, especially Coach Ali, because that’s the first coach that I talked to, and she’s the one who took me around campus,” James added.

James also has a great relationship with Teri Moren. She likes Moren’s style of play and the way she leads her team. She is the first Class of 2026 recruit for the Hoosiers.

“We text and we just talk in person a lot. I love it. She reminds me of my high school coach that I have now,” James said.

The point guard believes the Hoosiers’ system will bring the best out of her. She is impressed by the fast-pace and set gameplay. James is tough, has great leadership skills, and is a brilliant rim-attacking driver and passer. Her shooting and quickness give her an upper edge among her peers and should fit well within Moren's program.

She is looking forward to joining her teammates and taking on the rest of the NCAA.