2019 – GARRIN KAPECKI – BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY
A two-time All-America Honorable Mention selection (1987, 1988) and four-time All-Eastern Championship selection (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988), Garrin Kapecki completed his time at Bucknell University with 316 goals, 127 assists and 443 assists to help the Bison to a 67-41 mark under Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame head coaches Dick Russell (39-20, 1985-86) and Lynn Comer Kachmarik (28-22, 1987-88).
As a freshman in 1985, he finished second on the team in goals (67) and points (94) to go along with a third place mark in assists (27) as Bucknell racked up a 25-9 record and earned a spot at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship. Making the program’s first appearance at the NCAA Championship since 1980, the Bison fell to Stanford University (18-4 L) and California State University-Long Beach (20-4 L) to accompany a defeat of Loyola University (Ill.) (8-6 W) at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach, Calif., behind three goals from Kapecki to claim Seventh Place behind six goals from Kapecki.
For his first-year performance, Kapecki was named to the All-Eastern Championship and All-Mid-Atlantic Conference Second Teams.
He raised his game further in 1986 as a sophomore by leading Bucknell in goals (75) and points (96) with a second place mark in assists (21) to earn All-Eastern Championship and All-Mid-Atlantic Conference First Team status as the Bison finished 14-11. Following his sophomore season, he competed at Stanford University through the summer month and helped lead the team to the 1987 Outdoor National Championship.
Arguably Kapecki’s best individual season came as a junior in 1987 as he racked up 110 goals, 63 assists and 173 points to lead his team in all three categories and help the Bison to a 13-11 record. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, he garnered All-Eastern Championship and All-Mid-Atlantic Conference First Team honors to go along with All-America Honorable Mention recognition. The third Bucknell athlete to earn All-America honors following fellow Hall of Fame members Scott Schulte (1979 Second Team, 1980 Second Team) and Jeff Hilk (1985 Honorable Mention), Kapecki also earned a nod at Indoor Nationals with All-America Second Team laurels.
He capped off his collegiate career with 64 goals and 16 assists for 80 points to lead Bucknell to a 15-11 record as a senior in 1988 while battling a knee injury. The team captain, he again led the team in goals and points while rating fourth in assists. Although limited due to the injury, Kapecki once again collected All-Eastern Championship and All-Mid-Atlantic Conference First Team recognition in addition to repeating as an All-America Honorable Mention pick.
Following his senior season, he made the United States National “B” team and represented the nation at the Mexico City Olympic Festitval before being sidelined due to a knee injury. Overall, Kapecki was a member of three U.S. Olympic Festival teams as he made the squad in 1989, 1991 and 1993.
In the history of the Bucknell program through the start of the 2019 season, he continues to rank among the best-of the-best by standing fourth in points (443) and goals (316) rating behind only Schulte, Hilk and current Bison Rade Joksimovic. Further, his 173 point junior season is the eighth best in the history of water polo at the school.
Overall, he is the seventh Bucknell athlete/coach to earn a spot in the CWPA Hall of Fame joining former head coaches Russell and Kachmarik and fellow athletes Schulte, Hilk, Mark Gensheimer and Tony Paxton. The seven selections mark the most for any men’s team besting Brown University’s four accolades (head coach Ed Reed, Lars Enstrom, Rich Russey, Steve Ennis) and ranking second among all programs (men/women) behind Slippery Rock University’s nine (head coach Dr. Richard Hunkler, Kachmarik, John Barrett, Sue Kolczak, Robbie Bova, Diane Stein Sweigart, Leslie Entwistle, Carrie Bayse-Becker, Patricia Ann “Trish” McGuire).
A 1989 graduate of Bucknell with a degree in Business Administration and Management, Kapecki has matched his performance in the water as a recognized expert in the fields of marketing, strategic strategies, message development and communication.
The President of FuelPop Marketing in Chicago since February 2018, he previously held prior marketing positions around Chicago as Executive Vice President for Strategic Solutions at Vision (March 2017-to-January 2018); Senior Vice President at Epsilon (June 2011-to-January 201); President of Aspen (January 2007-to-May 2011); Vice President for Marketing and Operations a Meridian Media Group (July 2003-to-January 2007); and General Manager of Clear!Blue Chicago (January 1999-to-June 2003).
In addition, he served as Director of Marketing Communications for AT&T from 1996 until 1993 after holding the position of Senior Manager for Business Marketing Communications from July 1989 until December 1996.
A former member of the New York Athletic club water polo team (June 1989-to-January 2000) where he helped the team to four National Championships, he remains connected to the sport of water polo as an announcer/analyst for the Big Ten Network’s coverage of water polo since January 2014.
Outside the pool and the boardroom, Kapecki gives back by being involved as a Community Event Coordinator for Special Olympics (January 2015-to-present); Secretary for the Midwest Board of Directors for USA Water Polo (January 2010-to-present); President of the Board of Directors for the Lincolinshire Swim Club (January 2002-to-January 2010); and a board member of The Learning Fund Foundation (January 2008-to-January 2012). Further, he was appointed Chairman of Illinois Water Polo in 2003 and led the effort to establish the sport as a stand alone organization separate from the Illinois Swimming Association.
