Khalil Reagan signs on with NCAA D-III national power Mary Hardin-Baylor
Feb. 2—ALTO — Khalil Reagan became one of the newest members of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team on Thursday morning when he signed a national letter of intent to attend the Belton, Texas-based institution.
Reagan, the son of Venecia Reagan and the grandson of the late James Weldon Reagan and Alice Faye Smith Reagan, attached his name on the bottom line during a signing ceremony that took place at Devonte Mumphrey Memorial Court at the Alto High School Gymnasium.
Reagan's signing is all the more special as he will become the first in a family of seven brothers and sisters to attend college.
Alto athletic director and head football coach Brock Grigsby shared with those in attendance an impactful story about Reagan.
"Khalil was in the eighth grade and Venecia (Reagan) called me and Coach (Trey) Reagan ... she gives us a call one day, and says, '(he) cannot get right, he's acting up at home, he's acting up at school, this that and the other.' I'll never forget it," Grigsby said. "Coach Reagan and I pulled him into the coaches' office in that old field house, and gave him a little bit of enthusiastic encouragement. We just wanted to help get him back on the right track. And I like to think that moment had an impact on him — he would be the (prime) example of what our Gold Standard is. Never had a bad day, never had to beg Khalil to practice, never had to beg him to go to the weight room, never had to do any of that with Khalil. He's always been one of the easiest kids to coach."
Mary Hardin-Baylor finished with a 12-2 record last season. The Crusaders were the national runner-up.
