By Marin Murray.
Six football players and one baseball player, all seniors, signed their national letters of intent on Wednesday, cementing their decisions to play collegiate sports next year.
“It’s a testament to what we’ve established here over time,” head football coach and athletics coordinator Michael Fullen said. “It’s really about the players and them buying into what we’ve expected of them and the hard work that they have put in.”
There were two signees to the Division I level, one to the Division II level, three to Division III, and one to the junior college level.
“My goals are probably just getting something that you don’t get at the high school level,” receiver Brelon Badon, who signed to Abilene Christian University, said. “The coaching is a lot different. The competition is also a lot different.”
When he gets to ACU in the fall, Badon will be reunited with his father, Jerale Badon, a former football and track coach at Abilene High. Badon will also be joined by his current teammate, running back Chad Lara, who earned second team all-district honors for the Eagles during the 2023 season.
“It’s going to be really great,” Badon said. “I think it’s going to make it easier for us to create relationships and friendships with other teammates.”
Other football players staying in Abilene are running back Antoine “Bam” Rashaw, who signed to Hardin Simmons University, and quarterback Dylan Slack, who will attend McMurry University.
“From where they started as freshmen to where they are now, it’s been huge for us,” Fullen said. “The buy-in that they brought back in 2020 and just the success we’ve had. They set a new standard this year and they set new standards for our program.”
During the 2023 football season, this group of seniors led their team to the fourth round of playoffs for the first time since 2011.
“We ask a tremendous amount of our athletes in all of our programs,” Fullen said. “So for them to have success and to bring the success they brought to us, it says a lot for what we have going on at Abilene High.”
The lone baseball player, pitcher Brady Bennett, signed to Hardin Simmons University. He earned third team all-state honors during the 2023 baseball season, leading his team to the third round of playoffs.
“They put a lot of time and effort into achieving this goal,” Fullen said. “It’s hard to do these days. It’s hard to get to the next level.”
Only two of the seven athletes will be leaving Abilene in the fall, majority opting to stay close to home. Tight end Trey Simpson will head to Angelo State University, while defensive back Demarco Upshaw will attend Tyler Junior College. Both were first team all-district selections for the Eagles.
“I chose to go there because when I went to visit there it just felt like home to me,” Simpson said. “That’s where I feel is best for my next four years.”
For most of the athletes, they simply wanted to make it to the next level, college sports. However, Simpson has even bigger aspirations.
“I hope to be one of the NFL [National Football League] players that comes through here,” Simpson said. “So that’s my main goal.”
This 2024 class anticipates having a few more athletes sign later on in the semester, leaving a legacy of excellence and showing the classes below them that the dream of college football is possible.
“I want to inspire the younger kids to keep working hard and always chase their dreams,” Slack said. “We had a good season this year. We just set a standard, and I hope the younger guys keep that standard up.”
