Luke Ertel is a 6-1 point guard from Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana, a former football quarterback who converted to basketball. He led Mt. Vernon to the program's first-ever Indiana Class 4A state championship in March 2026, scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds and 6 assists in the title game. As a senior, Ertel averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting 40 percent from three and 89 percent from the free-throw line. The 2026 MaxPreps Indiana Player of the Year and Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year, he committed to Purdue in August 2024 as a three-star and rose to four-star status as his senior season unfolded.