ECAC Hall of Fame Spotlight, presented by Qualite: Jamaal Branch
Jamaal Branch was a standout football player at Colgate University, and is still considered one of the Raiders’ top running backs in program history.
Branch won the 2003 Walter Payton Award as the nation's most outstanding player in the FCS (formerly I-AA) division while leading Colgate to a 15-1 season and berth in the national championship game. The consensus All-America selection was Player of the Year that season in both the Patriot League and ECAC after rushing for 2,326 yards. He was also named to the ECAC Division I-AA First Team in 2003 and 2004.
Branch broke several Colgate and NCAA records during his career. In the 2003 season, he broke the NCAA division records for most carries in a season at 450, most rushing touchdowns in a season at 29 and most 100-yard rushing games in a season at 12. Branch still holds the Colgate record for most yards gained in a season (2,326), most games gaining 100 yards or more (12), most rushing touchdowns (29), most points scored in a season (174) and is tied for most consecutive games gaining 100 yards or more (11).
Branch closed his career as the college’s second all-time leading rusher with 4,108 yards and 48 touchdowns, and finished third in career scoring with 288 points. He also became just the second player in program history to win the Walter Payton Award when he received the honor in 2003.
In early 2006, Branch signed with the New Orleans Saints and was sent to NFL Europe where he played with the Rhein Fire and Cologne Centurions. Thereafter, Branch played for the New Orleans Saints during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. In addition to his athletic achievements, Branch is a proud member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.
Branch is a member of the Colgate Athletics Hall of Honor.
To purchase tables, tickets or journal ads for the 2017 ECAC Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony, please
click here. Should you have questions about the event, please email Meghan O'Brien at
mobrien@ecac.org.
ABOUT THE ECAC
In the 77 years since its inception, the ECAC has emerged as the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. In 2015-16, the ECAC hosted nearly 100 championships in men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit
www.ecacsports.com.
ABOUT QUALITE SPORTS LIGHTING
Qualite has been the Sports Lighting Partner for high schools, colleges, parks and recreation departments, and minor and major league professional sports franchises for over 30 years. Qualite's Q-LED GameChanger is the first high performance sports lighting system designed for all sports venues, from youth to professional sports stadiums with a focus on great connectivity and functionality at affordable pricing.
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