Bucknell University Athletics
Abby Kapp Receives Patriot League Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character
7/15/2021 10:04:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Recent Bucknell graduate Abby Kapp, a three-year starter and two-time All-Patriot League selection on the women's basketball team, was announced as a recipient of the 2021 Patriot League Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character by the league office on Friday.
The Patriot League established the Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character to recognize and honor individuals who demonstrate excellence in leadership and service while participating in Patriot League athletics. One male and one female student-athlete have been recognized since the award's inception in 2011-12.
Lehigh football's Divine Bucknrham joined Kapp as the other honoree this year. Kapp, a native of Barto, Pa., is the sixth Bucknell student-athlete to earn the award and the third women's basketball player to do so. Fellow Bison women's basketball alum Sune Swart garnered the accolade in 2017.
Kapp is among the most decorated players in the Patriot League over the last four years, and her stellar play on the court helped guide Bison women's basketball to some of its most successful seasons in program history. Her greatest impacts on the Bucknell community and beyond, however, were not necessarily made on the hardwood. While Kapp was breaking school records and captaining a Bucknell team that finished atop the Patriot League regular season standings for a third straight season in 2020-21, she was also creating change and making noise in the areas of social justice, public policy, women's rights and sustainability.
"We couldn't be prouder of all that Abby has done to foster an atmosphere of inclusivity and anti-racism in our Bucknell community. From day one she has led our efforts and this recognition is well deserved," said Bucknell women's basketball head coach Trevor Woodruff.
During a turbulent summer that saw the outbreak of a global pandemic, as well as protests across the country in the wake of George Floyd's murder, Kapp felt the need to act. While school was out of session and Kapp was back home, she began organizing virtual meetings and working with her teammates and women's basketball players from around the league to launch the Patriot League Social Justice Coalition in an effort to spark conversation and change. The group posted a call to action through its social media channels that read:
"As student-athletes, we will use our platform to advocate for change in our communities, on our campuses and throughout the Patriot League. Systemic racism plagues our society and it must be addressed. Our members highlight what anti-racism and social justice work means to them and how we can envision a better, more equitable future."
Kapp also became involved with the Patriot League's newly-formed Anti-Racism Commission. Her efforts, along with lobbying from the newly-formed Coalition, were catalysts in the creation of two Patriot League Pursuit of Anti-Racism Weekends where student-athletes around the conference sported special warm-up shirts designed by the Coalition and promoted messaging with the theme of "Unity, Respect, Activism." Kapp was also one of three Bison student-athletes that were chosen to serve on the Bucknell Athletics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Prior to returning for her senior year, Kapp was chosen as a Summer of Service Intern through Bucknell's Office of Civic Engagement and was able to further her work in the community by collaborating with Shepherd Higher Consortium of Poverty in Lewisburg.
During the internship, Kapp developed a comprehensive voter registration plan with the goal of increasing voter participation among Bucknell students. Meanwhile, she participated in weekly assignments, reflections and coaching around civic engagement class, cultural competence and implicit bias. Kapp also coordinated efforts among other local organizations committed to social change in Central Pennsylvania, including The Hub for Progress and the Envisioning Project, and she worked with Pennsylvania State Senate candidate Michelle Siegel on her "Spotlight Orange" campaign platform.
Once back on campus, Kapp continued her work with voter education and registration through her involvement with Bucknell's "Bison Votes" initiative, where she helped organize efforts to provide voter education and registration to Bucknell students and staff.
In another timely initiative, Kapp served as a research assistant in Bucknell's Department of Economics, where she was part of a team studying the effects of COVID-19 on local small business.
"In a year like no other, many Bucknell student-athletes rose to the challenge," said Bucknell Senior Associate Director of Athletics Jen Kentera. "Among them all, Abby Kapp stood out, not just in her ability to impart change on campus, but also for the manner in which she rallied student-athletes from across the entire Patriot League."
Kapp's hard work and dedication were reflected in the classroom as well, where she maintained a 3.87 cumulative GPA as an economics major with a focus in public policy. She was twice named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team and was voted the 2021 Patriot League Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The honors continued as she was selected to the CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District Team in May, and Bucknell later recognized her academic and athletic career as well as her commitment to social change by presenting her with the 'ray Bucknell Diversity Award.
Our 3rd and final senior award reveal for today is the 'ray Bucknell Award, and the recipients are 2 members of the @Bucknell_WBB team who did amazing work in the areas of diversity, equity & inclusion, as well as on the court. The first honoree is 𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐘 𝐊𝐀𝐏𝐏! #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/LrYDIvTsaX
— Bucknell Athletics (@Bucknell_Bison) May 17, 2021
Kapp finished her playing career as Bucknell's all-time career leader in made 3-points (196). She played in 106 games for the Orange & Blue, including 78 starts, and totaled 902 career points scored.
