CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois football coach Nick Hill announced the addition of five transfer players to this year’s incoming signing class, including two Big Ten transfers – Ohio State running back Willtrell Hartson and Wisconsin wide receiver Keontez Lewis.
Hartson was a three-star prospect out of Massillon, Ohio with multiple Division I offers, who enrolled at Ohio State as a preferred walk-on. Although he did not play for the Buckeyes in 2023, Hartson earned the distinction of a “scarlet stripe” on his helmet on November 1. He will be a redshirt freshman for the Salukis in 2024.
Lewis was Wisconsin’s third-leading receiver in 2022 with 20 catches for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Another three-star high school recruit, he began his career at UCLA, where he played in 11 games in 2021. Lewis will be a junior at SIU in the fall.
All five players are currently enrolled at SIU and will play in the spring ball season that begins in March.
CB Jeremiah Baxter
6-2, 190, Senior
Silver Spring, Md. | Frostburg State
Transferred from Division II Frostburg State where he played in 27 games from 2020-23 … Career totals of 50 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks … Helped lead his team to a 28-8 record during his career.
RB Willtrell Hartson
5-9, 205, Redshirt Freshman
Massillon, Ohio | Ohio State
Transferred from Ohio State after the 2023 season … A three-star prospect who had numerous Division I scholarship offers but chose to attend and play for Ohio State as a preferred walk-on … Was an all-state performer for Massillon Washington and led team to the state semifinals and a 12-2 record in 2022 … Rushed for a school-record 2,073 yards as a senior and scored 34 total touchdowns … Set the Washington single game record of 324 rushing yards in a 2020 state playoff game vs. Westerville South.
WR Nah’shawn Hezekiah
6-2, 210, Senior
Orangeburg, S.C. | Howard
Transferred from Howard, where he played in 28 career games from 2021-23 … Career totals of 46 catches for 552 yards and four touchdowns … Had a career-high seven catches for 67 yards at Norfolk State in 2022 … Had at least one catch in all but two games in 2022 and 2023 … Helped Howard earn a share of the MEAC regular season championship in 2022.
WR Keontez Lewis
6-2, 190, Junior
East St. Louis, Ill. | Wisconsin
Transferred from Wisconsin following the 2023 season … Played in all 13 games for the Badgers in 2022 and ranked third on the team with 20 catches, 313 receiving yards and three touchdown catches … made his first career catch vs. Washington State (9/10), a 40-yard reception in the first half … caught his first career touchdown vs. New Mexico State (9/17) … assembled the best game of his career at Iowa (11/12), catching three passes for 71 yards and a score … matched a career-high with three catches at Nebraska (11/19) and in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. Oklahoma State (12/27) … Played one season at UCLA in 2021, where he saw action in all 11 games on special teams.
CB Andrew Volmar
6-1, 166, Senior
Miami, Fla. | UL Monroe
Played in all 12 games at UL Monroe in 2023 and recorded nine tackles … Spent two seasons (2021-22) at Florida International, where he played in 20 games and made 13 starts … In 2022, recorded a career-best 31 tackles (21 solos, 10 assists), one interception and a team-leading six pass break-ups … Three-year varsity player and two-year starter for Coach Patrick Surtain at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida … Helped the Patriots to a combined record of 20-4 (.833) over his last two seasons (2018-19) … tallied 23 tackles (7 solos, 16 assists) and three interceptions (18 yards) as a senior in 2019.
