Written by Erin Marshall \/\/ Photo by Madison Meyer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, the Harding volleyball team won their game against Ouachita Baptist University 3-0. After the game, the team honored alumna and former graduate assistant Molly Howard-Gerwig, who diedlast year. She was affectionately known as \u201cHowie\u201d by her coaches, players and teammates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In May 2021, Howard-Gerwig married Brian Gerwig. Only a few days prior she had gotten a biopsy of a mass in her sigmoid colon and was soon diagnosed with stage four neuroendocrine colon cancer. She and her husband canceled their honeymoon and returned to Houston so she could receive treatment. She died five months later on Oct. 14, 2021, at the age of 27. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Howard-Gerwig played volleyball at Harding for four years and graduated with her bachelor\u2019s degree in kinesiology in 2016. She then became a graduate assistant for two years and received her master\u2019s degree in teaching in May 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior volleyball player Kinley Schnell saw Howard-Gerwig as the face of Harding during her time as an assistant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy time at Harding never crossed with Howie, but when I was in the recruiting process in high school she always came to my games when she had the chance,\u201d Schnell said. \u201cShe supported me even when she didn\u2019t know me well. Howie had this contagious smile that you could see from across the room. She always was a joy to be around.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After leaving Harding, Howard-Gerwig was an assistant coach for one season at Tarleton State and was in her second season at Houston Christian University when she died. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Howard-Gerwig was diagnosed, there was a GoFundMe account set up for her. When she died, her family and husband decided to use that money to set up a scholarship in her honor. The Molly Howard-Gerwig Memorial Scholarship Fund is awarded to junior or senior secondary education majors who intend to coach. The money fundraised from Tuesday\u2019s game will go to Howard-Gerwig\u2019s fund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was a huge part of our program, and most of our girls know her or have heard of her,\u201d head volleyball coach Meredith Fear said. \u201cIt’s just going to become a yearly thing where we honor her and fundraise for her scholarship fund.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to Howard-Gerwig\u2019s scholarship, Fear is implementing an annual \u201cHeart of Howie\u201d award. The award will be given to a volleyball player who demonstrates loyalty, integrity, passion, reliability, courage, humility and goodness. Last year, it was awarded to senior Cooper Monn, and this year it was given to senior Kinley Schnell. Both were honored after Tuesday\u2019s game. Monn said the award is more than an accolade because it brings people together to remember Howard-Gerwig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a way to keep Howie on our minds and on our hearts and just on the team in spirit,\u201d Monn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear said Howard-Gerwig embodied the Harding University volleyball motto of being a \u201cChristian student athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was the literal hands and feet of Jesus to her teammates, players and fellow coaches,\u201d Fear said. \u201cHowie was good. That goodness was undoubtedly from her love of Christ and his work in her life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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