2021 Cleveland DB commits to University of San Diego

The University of San Diego wasted no time making a quick impression upon 2021 Rio Rancho (NM) Cleveland defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="26163" first="Trey" last="Ortega"]. Just over two months ago, Ortega named a top eight of Colgate, Columbia, Cornell, Delaware State, Fordham, Georgetown, Lamar and Lehigh. USD didn’t offer Ortega until Nov. 2. However, USD’s blend of football and academic excellence, together with a beautiful campus (in 2019, <i>The Princeton Review</i> ranked the University of San Diego as the 6th Most Beautiful Campus in the US) located in one of America’s nicest cities and a top-notch coaching staff, proved too much for Ortega to turn down. Wednesday, Ortega announced his commitment to USD in a slick video posted on social media. "Through prayer and amazing support from my family, USD was the best choice for me because it has everything I’m looking for," Ortega told Prep Redzone New Mexico. "Elite football, great academics, beautiful campus, and an amazing coaching staff. I couldn’t be more excited to put on the Torero uniform next season!" USD offered Ortega as a defensive back. USD, which has a total enrollment of about 9,000 students, competes at the FCS level in the far-flung Pioneer League, which has teams in California, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Iowa. Several Pioneer League schools offered Oretga, including Drake and Butler. The Toreros won the Pioneer League championship three straight years from 2016-18, compiling an impressive record of 29-8 during that three-season span, and have advanced to the FCS playoffs five times since 2014, logging a pair of first-round victories. Ortega becomes the third New Mexico prospect to sign with a San Diego-based Division I football program in the last three years. Former Manzano speedster Jordan Byrd and Rio Rancho DE Keshawn Banks both signed with San Diego State in 2018. https://twitter.com/O12Trey/status/1329156106019540994 https://twitter.com/CoachChadSavage/status/1329157977945739264 https://twitter.com/O12Trey/status/1323435121056231424