By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
STRAUBING, Germany – A former Tennessee Tech defensive standout will get his opportunity to play overseas as defensive back DeMario Donnell has signed with the Sraubing Spiders in the German Football League.
Donnell, who finished up his Golden Eagle career during Watson Brown's tenure in 2015, has most recently spent the last four seasons playing arena football with the Amarillo Venom and the Wichita Force in the Champions Indoor Football League, as well as the Columbus Lions in the National Arena League.
He had 10 interceptions with Amarillo, while also recording 15 pass breakups, 51 tackles, three forced fumbles and a touchdown. In Columbus, Donnell has three interceptions, six breakups, 23 tackles and a touchdown, while also picking off two passes and breaking up four in Wichita with 56 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and a touchdown.
A product of Nashville's Pearl-Cohn High School, Donnell played four seasons with the Golden Eagles. He wrapped up his Tech career with 132 tackles, while forcing four fumbles and recovering three, intercepting a pass and breaking up 16 passes.
After finishing his Tech career, Donnell briefly joined the Australian National Gridiron League's Sydney Express before returning stateside to compete in the arena scene.
Under the direction of head coach Max Macek, the Spiders recently wrapped up an 8-0 season in the GFL2 and were promoted to the GFL's top division.