HACKENSACK, N.J. - Fairleigh Dickinson women's golf head coach Rob Warren announced Monday that graduate student Nicola Smith has been named the inaugural recipient of the Susan L. Capeci Women's Golf Endowed Scholarship for the 2021-22 season.
Announced on April 12, the Susan L. Capeci Women's Golf Endowed Scholarship was established by her husband John Capeci. Born in the Bronx, Capeci grew up in Bergen County and was a member of the Hackensack Golf Club for more than 20 years. Described by her husband, Mr. Capeci, as a "strong and beautiful woman, both inside and out," Susan enjoyed spending her free time on the course and was especially proud of a first-place finish at the 2017 Ladies Classic event at Valley Brook Golf Course in River Vale.
At the time of the endowed scholarship's announcement, Capeci remarked, "Our family is very pleased that Susan's incredible love for golf, her zest for life and her passion for women's golf will forever be remembered through the Susan L. Capeci Women's Golf Endowed Scholarship."
He continued, "For more than 40 years, Susan was a highly competitive and talented golfer who exhibited a tremendous passion and commitment to the game. The Capeci family presents the generous gift to the Knights as a stepping stone for women to achieve the highest accomplishments in the classroom and on the course.
Smith received a commemorative note from the Capeci Family that congratulated her for her extraordinary academic and golf accomplishments. That letter is available to view by clicking here or the link above.
Smith, a Sittingbourne, England native, helped lead the squad to their 2021 Northeast Conference Championship en route to an appearance in the NCAA Regional held in Louisville, Ky.
"I can't think of a more deserving person to receive the inaugural Capeci award," said Warren. "This award is meant to help young women achieve the highest accomplishments both on and off the course. As a returning fifth-year senior and working towards her master's in criminal justice, Nicola exudes what it means to achieve."
Warren continued, "Having graduated [undergraduate] with a 3.98 GPA, being an All-NEC student-athlete and helping our team win multiple conference championships as well, she is very deserving of this scholarship and will continue to make us proud. This award goes a long way to helping her and her family accomplish her dreams."
If you would like to contribute to the Susan L. Capeci Endowed Scholarship or make a gift to FDU Knights Athletics, please contact Senior Associate AD for External Affairs Jason Young at jryoung@fdu.edu or visit https://support.fdu.edu/giving/knightsathletics.
To learn more about the Susan L. Capeci Women's Golf Endowed Scholarship, please click here or the link above. Stay connected with FDU women's golf on Twitter, @FDUKnightsGolf, and Instagram, @FDUWGolf.
About FDU Athletics
The Knights are home to 21 NCAA Division I teams. A member of the Northeast Conference, FDU has had tremendous success in the classroom, in athletic competition, and giving back to the Bergen County community. In 2019-20 year, FDU won NEC championships in men's soccer and women's indoor track & field and followed that up with championships in 2020-2021 in women's bowling, men's tennis, and women's golf. In 2020, FDU student-athletes were also recognized for their efforts in the community by winning the NEC Building Communities Award with over 3,000 community service hours. Other recent milestones include men's basketball winning the 2019 NEC championship and going on to win the first NCAA Tournament game in school history. In addition to recent championships, FDU also holds two NCAA National Championships in the sport of women's bowling (2006, 2010).
