Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh scores a touchdown despite being wrapped up by Sierra Vista cornerback Trevor Gentner in the first half of their prep football game at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Gorman defeated Sierra Vista 56-7. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
California Golden Bears running back Biaggio Ali Walsh (26) runs the ball against the Stanford Cardinal in the second quarter of a football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh (7) rushes for a touchdown as Faith Lutheran Faith Lutheran safety Taimani Mckenzie defends in the first half of their prep football game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh tumbles into the endzone for a touchdown after being tripped up by the Faith Lutheran defense in the first half of their prep football game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh (7) is tackled by the Faith Lutheran defense in the first half of their prep football game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bishop Gorman’s Biaggio Ali Walsh (7) carries the ball against Palo Verde’s Earnest Williams during the first half of a high school football game at Bishop Gorman High School, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @davidjaybecker
Bishop Gorman quarterback Tate Martell (18) reacts after Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh scored the winning 2-point conversion in triple overtime against St. Thomas Aguinas, Fla. during their prep football game at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh is seen during practice at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh, left, (7) walks past a teammate during team practice at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 23, 2016. (Richard Brian/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @vegasphotograph
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Ali Walsh, left, (7) takes a football from a coach as he runs a drill during team practice at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 23, 2016. (Richard Brian/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @vegasphotograph
Bishop Gorman running back Biaggio Walsh (7) is seen before the start of their prep football game against Long Beach Poly at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas Friday, Sept. 18 2015. Bishop Gorman defeated Long Beach Poly 52-13. Walsh is the grandson of boxer Muhammed Ali. Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Running back Biaggio Ali Walsh, a Bishop Gorman graduate, will play for his hometown football team, transferring from California to UNLV.
“It took awhile to decide, but I sat down with my family and decided coming back home would be the best move for me,” Ali Walsh said Wednesday. “Being coached by Tony Sanchez, who’s my former coach at Bishop Gorman, I think would be the best move for me careerwise. I had no idea that Tony even wanted me or anything. I knew that I wanted to come back home and go to UNLV.”
An attempt to reach Sanchez, who was traveling, was unsuccessful.
Ali Walsh is walking on but will try to play his way into a scholarship.
“But right now, I’m going to do whatever I can to be on the football team,” he said.
He spent two seasons at Cal, redshirting in 2017 and last season carrying four times for 9 yards while playing mostly on special teams.
Ali Walsh (5 feet 10 inches, 185 pounds) probably will have to sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules but could petition to play. Cornerback Alex Perry, also a Gorman graduate, received an NCAA waiver to play immediately last season after transferring from Arizona State.
“We don’t know yet,” Ali Walsh said of applying for a waiver.
Ali Walsh was Review-Journal’s male athlete of the year in 2016 after leading Gorman to state and mythical national championships. The Gaels went 45-0 in his three seasons, and he rushed for 4,508 yards and 65 touchdowns, averaging 11.5 yards per carry.
He is the grandson of late boxing great Muhammad Ali.
Another local product, junior offensive lineman Keenen King, is no longer on the team because of academic reasons. King sat out last season after transferring from Washington State, where he spent two years. He attended Arbor View.
