Two current Rice Sport Management students, Malcolm Hill ’15 and Broderick Jackson ’14, were featured in today’s Houston Chronicle. Below is an excerpt of the article.
She has never called a play, thrown a pass or scored a touchdown.
But players and coaches believe Joyce Rannals has been the Most Valuable Player of the Rice football team for the last 14 years.
“She’s been the rock around here for a lot of years,” Rice coach David Bailiff said. “She is a very important lady to this football team. She is truly a Rice Owl angel to these players.”
Rannals, who has served as a staff assistant for three football coaches and been “a mother to hundreds of players,” was diagnosed with breast cancer in February.
In a show of support, the Owls are dedicating this season – at 4-2, off to their best start since 2001 – to Rannals.
The back of the Rice football helmets feature a pink ribbon with her initials.
The campaign is the brainchild of junior strong safety Malcolm Hill and redshirt senior safety Broderick Jackson. As part of a project through a sports management class at Rice, the two players began an online donation campaign (www.gofundme.com/teamjoyce) to raise $5,000 during five games in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to help offset some of Rannals’ medical costs.
Click on the link to continue reading the full article: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rice/article/Rice-football-players-shower-support-on-ailing-4902194.php?t=288221daa90e8e6f9a
Malcolm Hill '15 shows off the Team Joyce wristband at Rice Stadium on Sept. 30, 2013. (Dave Rossman photo)