Growing up in Mansfield just a 20-minute drive away from what would eventually become their college home in Arlington, Reagan and Trevor Hukill's sibling bond strengthened as they became united in their efforts on the diamond.
 
As the years passed, each sibling's love for their respective sport culminated with both of them signing to commit as student-athletes with the UT Arlington baseball and softball programs – Reagan did so first in 2017 during her junior year of high school while Trevor signed a year later following his sophomore season at Vernon Junior College.
 
"I tell everybody all the time when they say 'oh my gosh, both of them play at UTA,' I feel like I've won the lottery because honestly, I did," said Reagan and Trevor's mother, Melodie Hukill.
 
Although both Hukills made it to the Division-I level and share the same athletic ability, the same parents, the same school – and now, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the same home – neither of them share a personality remotely close to the other, nor did they share the same path in how they reached UTA.
 
Trevor didn't take any shortcuts when it came to making his way into the Mavericks' clubhouse. With the advice of UTA head baseball coach Darin Thomas, the left-handed pitcher decided to begin his collegiate career near the Texas-Oklahoma border at Vernon JC. There, he struck out 60 batters across 69 innings of work while grooming himself into the talent the Mavs' coaching staff believed he could be.
 
"Trevor is a team guy who has always put our baseball program first," said associate head coach Jon Wente. "He cares and has worked to overcome a lot of adversity as a player in his short time here at UTA."
 
Coming off a hip injury heading into his first season at UTA, Trevor took more advice from his coaches and decided to redshirt his junior year. Fully ready to begin his Mav career the following fall in 2019, the lefty hit another road block when he had to have surgery on the ulnar nerve in his pitching elbow. The recovery process is supposed to take three months, so Trevor fully expects to be ready for the upcoming fall portion of the baseball schedule.
 
"I would describe Trevor as somewhat shy," said Reagan. "He doesn't really like to interact with a lot of people. But when he's around the family, he can act a little wild."
 
Whereas Trevor might need to get to know someone first before revealing the full extent of his personality, Reagan is the antithesis of her brother.
 
"Reagan is a fantastic person to have in this program," said head softball coach Peejay Brun. "She's a talented outfielder with a consistent swing. The one thing that stands out about her is her ability to make people smile. She just has the personality that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay."
 
Not only does her personality often knock people out of the park, but her highlights on the softball field do the same. In the 25 games the softball team managed to play this season, the freshman excelled both in the batter's box and in the field as she finished with a .305 batting average while maintaining a 1.000 fielding percentage across the 24 starts in the outfield.
 
"I love the pressure," said Reagan when asked about why she loves softball. "Softball is such a fast-paced game and I just love not having to think. Because when you start thinking, that's when you start messing up. So, I really like the fast pace and the pressure that softball brings."
 
Competition is most definitely the engine that pushes Reagan. Unfortunately for her and the 25 teammates who had their season cut short, the outfielder is craving for the moment she and her brother get to feel that kind of tension again.
 
"I miss the softball team," said Reagan. "I miss practices. I miss coaches. I miss Coach Brun. It just makes me sad."
 
A little over a month ago, both Reagan and Trevor could have been spotted on campus running into each other heading into the weight room, in the hallways of the Business Building or outside the softball and baseball facilities standing side-by-side to one another. But now with the ongoing pandemic crisis, the Hukills can be found in anguish while quarantining themselves at home in the house they grew up in.
 
"Not being able to go outside," said Reagan when asked about what she's finding to be most difficult during this troublesome time. "Oh my gosh. I'm an extrovert, so I love being around people. I love being outside. I love talking, parties, groups, whatever; and I can't do that right now and it's driving me crazy."
 
Both Hukills find themselves stuck in the same daily routine. They wake up by 9, hit the books until Noon, eat lunch, then get in a workout or rehab session before finishing up the day with a family walk.
 
"We've gone on more walks in the past couple of weeks than we have ever before in our lifetimes," said Trevor. "I would never say this anytime else, but I actually miss being in the classroom. I miss being around at the field and talking with all the guys; I just miss everything."
 
When the world once again starts turning, Trevor will begin his final semester before he graduates in the fall with a business degree. Due to the fact he redshirted his junior year, along with the NCAA's ruling on all spring student-athletes regaining eligibility for the 2020 season just lost, Trevor will have two years of athletic eligibility remaining, and he plans on using them.   
 
"I'm just wanting to be a kid as long as I can be," said Trevor when asked what his plans were.
 
One message clearly received by both Hukills was how relieved they were to finally hear the aforementioned ruling by the NCAA.
 
"The worst part was having to basically come home not knowing if our season just ended or not, and not knowing who's going to be coming back," said Trevor.
 
"Before we knew we got the year back, we thought the seniors just played their last game without even knowing it at the time," said Reagan. "I've created a strong bond with all of our seniors on our team – especially Reagan Wright; she's my mentor – so seeing her heartbroken was very hard. I hated seeing them so upset. I just really wish it didn't play out the way it did."
 
Luckily for the Hukill parents, if everything eventually goes back to normal, they should have at least two more years of being able to cheer on their children.
 
"It's kind of like when they were in high school when the fields were side-by-side; we could actually run back and forth between the two fields to watch them play," said Reagan and Trevor's father, Frank Hukill.
 
For the time being, Reagan and Trevor will continue to live a quarantined lifestyle in the house they grew up in until they make it back to their stomping grounds at UTA.
 
"They chose to go to UTA because the programs are amazing," said Melodie. "The coaches are amazing. The players are amazing. They truly have found their own home there."