Honors & Awards
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Nebraska Scout Team Defensive Most Valuable Player (2007)
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Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll (2004)
2007 (Senior)
Senior Thomas Rice provided depth on the Husker defensive front throughout his Husker career. Rice served the majority of his career on the scout team, and saw action against Kansas State on Senior Day in 2007.
Rice, who earned a letter for the Huskers in 2007, made the most of his lone appearance on the Memorial Stadium playing field, as he registered an unassisted tackle against Kansas State. He was also rewarded for his value to the Huskers’ weekly preparation, as he was chosen by his teammates as the 2007 Scout Team Defensive MVP.
Rice was also a reserve on the line from 2004 to 2006, but did not see game action. He redshirted in 2003.
Rice also spent the 2007 spring semester as a member of the NU wrestling team, filling in for an injured regular starter at heavyweight. Rice is on track to earn his degree in civil engineering in May of 2008.
Career
Rice has been a reserve defensive end each of the past three seasons, but has yet to appear in a game. Rice walked on and redshirted in his first season at Nebraska in 2003.
Before Nebraska (Lincoln East HS)
Rice earned all-conference, academic all-conference and academic all-state honors as a two-sport star at Lincoln East High School. He played offensive lineman and defensive end on the football field, and was a part of two state championship wrestling teams on the mat. Rice was named an All-American in wrestling following a sixth-place finish at the Greco Roman National Championships. He was a three-year letterwinner in football, wrestling and track, and also lettered twice in music, and was a National Honor Society Member.
Personal
Rice is the son of Donlynn and Patrick Rice, and was born on Jan. 15, 1985. He is majoring in civil engineering at Nebraska, and was a member of the 2004 Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll. He has volunteered his time at Lincoln's Belmont Elementary School, the People’s City Mission and with local hospital visits.