Michigan State gets commitment from Detroit Catholic Central PWO DB Luca Genrich
MSU brings in Genrich as a preferred walk-on for the 2026 season. He helped lead the Shamrocks to a Division 1 state championship in 2025.
Michigan State adds a preferred walk-on (PWO) to the defensive unit with its latest commitment from defensive back Luca Genrich. He pledged to the program on Tuesday, and will join the Spartans for the 2026 season.
"This program’s culture and focus on development is the right fit for me," Genrich told Spartans Illustrated about his commitment to MSU.
Genrich is a versatile defensive back who can line up in multiple spots in the secondary, but he is expected to play cornerback for MSU.
He took an official visit to East Lansing on Sunday, Feb. 1 and was impressed with Michigan State’s atmosphere.
“It was awesome," Genrich said about the visit. "I really loved the facilities and the coaches and the culture."
At Michigan State, Genrich will play under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat, safeties coach James Adams and the rest of the new staff.
Listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds, Genrich hails from Farmington Hills, Michigan. He played all four years of high school football at Detroit Catholic Central, primarily as a defensive back. Genrich played at the varsity level for three seasons.
He received interest from multiple Division II colleges, including Wayne State University and the University of Findlay, which were top contenders for Genrich. Ultimately, though, Genrich has decided to take his opportunity to join Michigan State's roster as a PWO.
During his senior campaign in 2025, Genrich recorded 46 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, seven passes defended, one sack and one fumble recovery, according to MaxPreps.
Detroit Catholic Central finished 14-0 and won the MHSAA Division 1 state title in 2025. Genrich registered an outstanding game at Ford Field, recording six tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery in the championship victory over Cass Technical High School on Nov. 30, 2025.
Among Genrich's many accomplishments on the field, he has intercepted some notable quarterbacks during his high school career.
In November of 2024, he picked off then-Belleville five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. Now, Underwood is the starting quarterback for the University of Michigan.
Genrich also intercepted Michigan State 2026 four-star quarterback signee Kayd Coffman in November of 2025. Coffman enrolled at MSU in January. Genrich and Coffman will now be college teammates.
Genrich also has a familiar tie to MSU's recruiting class in fellow high school teammate and 2026 DCC athlete Samson Gash. Gash, a four-star wide receiver in the 2026 class, verbally committed to MSU last June but is yet to sign. Gash had his second official visit (due to the head coaching change from Jonathan Smith to Fitzgerald) with the Spartans last weekend. With Penn State also heavily pursuing, Gash is expected to make his final decision when the regular signing period opens this Wednesday.
Additionally, another one of Genrich's teammates — 2027 four-star Detroit Catholic Central defensive back Gideon Gash — visited Michigan State this past weekend as well. Gideon Gash is the younger brother of Samson Gash.
As a true freshman in 2026, Genrich won't be counted on to contribute right away, but he will develop his defensive skill set and add depth to MSU's secondary and special teams units. He is expected to graduate from DCC this spring and will enroll in classes for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year, arriving to East Lansing in the summer.