Wednesday marked a dream come true for high school athletes throughout the country and Southwest Louisiana as they signed their National Letters of Intent to play sports at the collegiate level.
Jennings running back Travis Etienne led the pack in the morning when he signed his NLI to play for reigning national champion Clemson less than a week after announcing his commitment.
“It’s an unbelievable opportunity,” Etienne said. “Just coming off winning the national championship, the team’s going to be held to unbelievable standards. That’s what I like. I like a challenge. I like proving people wrong.”
Etienne said he’s thankful to everyone who helped him reach this milestone, including his family, friends and coaching staff.
“I’m very grateful to all of them,” Etienne said. “They are the reason I am in this position to go to Clemson. They invested in me a lot and got me to where I am.”
Barbe had three athletes sign with Division I schools — running back Kirkland Banks inked with Lamar, wide receiver Nate Briscoe signed with McNeese State and track and field athlete Khalil Jones, who will compete in the triple jump and long jump for Louisiana Tech.
“It feels awesome,” Briscoe said. “I’m ready to get down to business and start playing at the next level.”
Banks said he chose Lamar in large part because the program’s new offensive coordinator Dan Dodd recruited him while an assistant coach at Arkansas State.
“He gave me one of my first offers from Arkansas State,” Banks said. “He and I have a great relationship.”
Briscoe and Banks said they look forward to playing against each other in the Southland Conference beginning this fall.
“It will kind of hurt a little bit playing against former teammates,” Banks said. “But it will be fun.”
LaGrange also had a ceremony in its library where Kevin Victorian (Grambling State), Jordan Griffin (Southeastern Louisiana) and Devin Jack (Division II Henderson State) in front of coaches, friends and peers.
Victorian said he looks forward to joining a historic Grambling program, which won Southwestern Athletic Conference championship last season.
“It’s a big honor,” Victorian said. “They’re fresh off a championship season. It’s great. I wouldn’t rather go anywhere else. It just felt like home over there, and my family can come watch me play.”
Sulphur’s record-setting quarterback Byron Walker signed with Southeastern Louisiana, giving the Walker family two players in the SLC. Older brother Brian is a wide receiver at McNeese.
Six-foot-8, 275-pound defensive end Lacolby Tucker signed with Garden City Community College in Kansas. Tucker said he plans to play football, basketball and track for the Broncbusters, a National Junior College Athletic Association school.
Westlake Rams back Daniel Eaglin signed with Wayland Baptist University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school in Plainview, Texas.
Welsh linebacker Garrick Gray, Leesville athlete Cory McCoy and Pickering athlete Dontay Hargrove all signed with McNeese.
Victorian will be joined at Grambling by Hamilton Christian defensive back Kenan Fontenot.
Iowa will be represented running back Joseph Figueroa at Grandview University in Des Moines, Iowa, and defensive lineman Michael Mayes at Tyler (Texas) Community College.
DeRidder’s Beau Mount will play at Division III Louisiana College.
Barbe softball pitcher Emily Hart will sign today with Baton Rouge Community College.
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