The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has received a commitment from walk-on defensive back Torieaun “Torii” Hilbert from Long Beach, California.
Hilbert will have two seasons of college eligibility remaining after playing a season at Ohio Wesleyan and one at La Verne (California) – both NCAA Division III institutions.
He was once committed to Nevada-Las Vegas for football, but due to some NCAA academic requirements he was deemed ineligible to receive scholarships. He chose Ohio Wesleyan despite having basketball scholarship opportunities at Division I Texas State and Division II Biola in California.
As a freshman, he had six interceptions, eight pass breakups and 14 passes defended while adding 31 tackles for the Battling Bishops. As a sophomore at La Verne, he had 27 tackles, a sack and an interception that he returned for a touchdown, earning second-team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors.
He’s been in high demand for a while. Before settling on La Verne – whose defensive coordinator last season was current UTC inside linebackers coach Oscar Rodriguez – Hilbert considered Football Bowl Subdivision member San Jose State, Football Championship Subdivision program Weber State and Division II Dixie State.