Elijah Rice of St. Michael-Albertville High School has been selected by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation as one of this year’s Scholar Athletes. The eight winners, chosen for academic excellence, leadership and community involvement, were recognized at the Ninth Annual Minnesota Football Honors event April 17th at the Hilton Minneapolis.
Elijah Rice (88) closes in on the St. Thomas Academy quarterback during the State 5A Championship game last November. The Knights won behind a stellar defense, capturing the school’s first-ever state championship on the gridiron.
Rice was voted the North Central District Blue Division’s most valuable defensive lineman this past fall. Playing on the line and also as a tight end, he was part of a state title, two additional state tournament appearances and a 32-5 record in his three varsity seasons for St. Michael-Albertville High School. Rice started for two of those years and was a captain as a senior. He was also a basketball and track and field athlete for the Knights.
Rice, the son of Steve and Carla Rice, was named to the academic all-state football team. He has earned Highest Honors every trimester of high school. A National Honor Society member, he was chosen by staff to represent STMA at Minnesota Boys State. He plans to study accounting and finance at the University of St. Thomas.
Volunteering through youth sports, Rice has assisted in many capacities ranging from coaching and officiating to grounds crew work. He has served as a Red Cross blood drive organizer, tutored other students, helped emphasize a chemical-free message at school and fundraised for causes including cystic fibrosis and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Rice has given time to Adopt-a-Highway, a local senior home and more.
The Ninth Annual Minnesota Football Honors event was presented by the Minnesota Vikings. College and professional football Hall of Fame inductees were scheduled to attend, and WCCO-TV news personality Frank Vascellaro returned for his ninth year as Master of Ceremonies.
About the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation
The Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit and academic excellence in Minnesota’s young people. The MN Chapter recognizeslegendary football icons, college football Hall of Famers and Minnesota’s top high school and college football scholar athletes. For more information, visit www.minnesotafootballhonors.com, Facebook or Twitter.
STMA state champion Elijah Rice poses with coaches Jared Essler (left) and Keith Cornell of the STMA football team after accepting his Minnesota Football Honor last week in Minneapolis.