With the Athletes... Angela Kapus '03

Author: Andrew Nicolo Zimmermann

The 2003 Middlebury women's hockey roster reads like a who's who of eastern U.S. All-Stars. Almost all hail from prep or prestigious private high schools and all are very talented. The success of the hockey team speaks for itself. Yet when your eyes cross 5'0" senior Angela Kapus's name you are left with one question, Oregon? From Milwaukie, Oregon, Kapus is one of just two players from the West Coast to play at Middlebury. Yes, they play hockey out there. And sure to be even more eye-catching would be the asterisk next to Angela's name denoting 2003 National Player of the Year.
"I was in my room with one of my teammates," Kapus said about the first time she heard she had won the award. "And [Head Coach Bill Mandigo] called me and said 'You need to sit down'. I asked, 'Why Bill? Just tell me.' And he said, 'Well you are national player of the year.' To which I said, 'That's funny Bill, you're kidding right?'"
No jokes here. The forward had a monster senior year leading Middlebury in assists (35) and points (54) while second on the team in goals (19). "I called him back 20 minutes later and said, 'Bill are you sure? Because I don't know if I believe this.'"
Yet Kapus has been making the fans and teammates believers since her first year. With 10 goals and 13 assists she led Middlebury rookies in the 1999-2000 campaign. Her sophomore season was more of the same with 27 points and an all tournament team selection on the way to consecutive national titles for the women.
"Its unbelievable," said Kapus of being on two championship teams. "I can't even express how much fun it has been to play with such a great group of girls and to have accomplished so much in four years." For the past two seasons however, the Panthers have had to experience heartbreak at the hands of Bowdoin in NCAA first round losses. "But to be able to win NESCACs this year after being beaten last year by Bowdoin was probably far and away the best experience I've had at Middlebury." This came after speculation by conference foes including Bowdoin that the Middlebury women were "done" and without hope of dominating the NESCAC like they had just a short time ago.
"It was great because of all the adversity to go back up to Bowdoin and beat them for NESCACs. To take that back to Middlebury was an unbelievable feeling." Middlebury not only beat Bowdoin, they crushed them 4-0 in a hostile arena in Brunswick, Maine. Kapus with her soft hands and great vision connected with Jean Butler '04 on Middlebury's second goal to earn an assist.
Behind all the stellar numbers - 55 career goals, 70 assists for 125 points in 98 games played - Kapus is a precision player on the ice. "She's got great hands," commented coach Mandigo in an interview with The Oregonian last year. "She's really adept at moving the puck and she's got unbelievable vision. She can see the ice. The thing that makes her most unique is she's got an unbelievable passion for the game. She just loves to play."
Kapus's game is as much cerebral as it is physical. Her quick, elusive skating combined with her knowledge and precise decisions have earned her respect and a good reputation on the ice. "I think when talking about the best players it comes down to who can see the ice the best and who can stick handle. You don't always need pure strength to excel in this game. A lot of it comes down to talent and being smart out on the ice."
Credit both positive influence and adverse conditions for molding Kapus's unique brand of hockey. Back in Oregon her younger brother Tony, a puckster himself, always worked with Angela closely while the two were growing up. "I've looked up to my brother. He's always pushed me to be better and he would get on me if I weren't working hard enough." Angela and her brother played youth hockey together for four to five years before she moved to Seattle her senior year of high school to play more competitively. "He's always had a positive influence on me and pushed me."
At Middlebury Kapus had two outstanding senior leaders her first two years to guide her. Both Sylvia Ryan '00 and Michelle Labbe '01 were captains like Kapus and National Player of the Year winners. Yet the constant influence and special bond formed with coach Mandigo has helped the senior grow to where she is today. "Being able to look back at my four years and see how I've grown and he's grown and the team has come together then you can understand the influence that the person has had on you." She credits Mandigo with helping her personal growth and teaching her to handle the game in a controlled way.
Angela has also faced the adversity of loving a sport that is still not part of the mainstream youth sports scene out west. Exposed to the game by her grandfather, a native Canadian, she quickly developed a desire to play and at age 12 joined a youth boys hockey team in Clackamas, Oregon. For much of her youth career she had to travel long distances and play against boys that were much taller and stronger. "It helped me to play with the boys when there was checking. I had to be aware of what was happening on the ice and where people were," she said in and interview with The Oregonian.
Before she came to Middlebury she spent a year away from home playing on a competitive all girls team in Seattle. However, the team often had to travel to Canada to find competition.
Angela Kapus has come a long way, no pun intended. Her career at Middlebury ranks as one of the most successful in the program's history and the teams she has played for have seen unrivaled success. Yet Kapus now stands with the possibility of not playing organized hockey next winter. "I don't think I could ever detach myself from hockey," she said. "But I think I am going to come back to Midd and do the teacher's ed program and after that I'd like to go teach and coach in a prep school." With Kapus's love of the game and her desire to teach, the prep school ranks from which Middlebury draws so much of its talent, will be in good hands.

Material from The Oregonian was used in this report.