|
 The
name Jeff Capel will always be recognizable in
college basketball. What’s less of a certainty is
for which role NCAA fans will remember him.
A standout guard at Duke in the mid ‘90s, Capel
danced in the spotlight as a floor leader for one of
the most successful basketball programs in the
country. As a Blue Devil, he was as passionate as
they come, and a deadly sharp-shooter from beyond
the three-point arc. Unforgettable is Capel’s
30-foot heave that touched off the glass to force
double-overtime against rival North Carolina in
1995, a game that ranked No. 1 on the list of 25
Greatest Moments in ESPN Basketball History.
And then there’s Jeff Capel the college basketball
coach. Dressed in a suit and tie, he paces
feverishly back and forth across the bench, just as
passionate as he was in his playing days. Capel
traded the blue and white for the black and gold of
Virginia Commonwealth University, and don’t look
now, but he’s strategically placing Ram basketball
on the NCAA map.
In his three years as head coach at VCU, Capel has
guided the Rams to a 60-31 record, a Colonial
Athletic Association Championship and two postseason
appearances. During that span, VCU has recorded the
most wins (60) and highest winning percentage (.659)
of any Division I program in the state of Virginia.
Following the 2003-04 season, Capel was named both
the Richmond Times-Dispatch and VaSID state Coach of
the Year after leading the Rams to their first NCAA
Tournament appearance since 1996.
Capel was named an assistant coach for the 2005 USA
Men’s World University Games Team, joining Manhattan
head coach Bobby Gonzalez in assisting Villanova
head coach Jay Wright. The United State won the gold
medal in Izmir, Turkey, in August.
“I’m flattered to even be considered for a
tremendous honor like this,” said Capel. “It’s
something that I take with great pride, representing
our great country.”
Last season, VCU posted a 13-5 record in the CAA,
19-13 overall, and earned a first-round home game
versus Davidson in the National Invitation
Tournament, the first men’s postseason contest at
the Alltel Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center
in the building’s six-year history. Paced by first
team All-CAA selection Nick George and second team
All-CAA Michael Doles, the Rams narrowly missed a
second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after
falling in overtime to Old Dominion in the CAA
Championship final.
The invitation to the NIT marked only the third time
in school history, first since 1985, that VCU earned
postseason appearances in consecutive seasons. The
2002-03 Rams earned an automatic bid to the NCAA
Tournament after capturing the CAA Championship in a
thrilling 55-54 victory over George Mason. VCU
boasted a CAA-best 14-4 conference record, 23-8
overall, and nearly pulled off an upset in the East
Rutherford Regional against Wake Forest. The
fourth-seeded Demon Deacons, heavily favored, inched
by the Rams with a 79-78 victory in Raleigh, N.C.
That season, senior guard Domonic Jones was selected
as CAA Player of the Year and honorable mention
All-American, while senior center Troy Godwin was
named second team All-CAA.
At 27 years old, Capel became the youngest head
coach in Division I men’s college basketball after
being promoted from assistant in 2002. After leading
the Rams to a 12-6 CAA record and a No. 2 seed in
the CAA Tournament, he was selected as the CoSIDA
Coach of the Year for the State of Virginia. The
team’s 18 wins tied Capel for the most victories by
a first-year head coach in VCU history.
Prior to joining the VCU staff, Capel spent one year
as an assistant at Old Dominion during the 2000-01
season. After graduating from Duke in 1997, he
dabbled in professional basketball for three years,
playing in France and the CBA.
At Duke, Capel was a four-year starter under
legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski. As a freshman,
he earned honorable mention All-ACC freshman honors,
helping the Blue Devils to the NCAA national
championship game. Capel was named honorable mention
All-ACC as a sophomore and senior and selected to
the All-ACC third team as a junior in 1996. As a
senior, he earned ACC All-Academic honors.
Capel finished his college career with 1,601 points,
433 assists and 220 three-point field goals, ranking
in the school’s all-time Top 10 in minutes played,
three-point field goal percentage, three-point field
goals and assists.
As a point guard at South View High School in
Fayetteville, North Carolina, Capel set school
career records in points (2,066), rebounds (668) and
assists (663). As a senior in 1993, he averaged 23.8
points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game,
guiding South View to a 31-1 record and a state
championship.
Capel garnered all-state honors as a sophomore,
junior and senior at South View. After his senior
season, he was chosen North Carolina and Gatorade
State Player of the Year, earned All-America status
and participated in the United States Olympic
Festival.
Capel’s father, Jeff Capel Jr., currently serves as
an assistant coach with the Charlotte Bobcats of the
NBA. A former college coach, he spent eight years as
head coach at Old Dominion. Capel’s brother, Jason,
played basketball for North Carolina.
Capel and his wife, Kanika, reside in Richmond. |
