Carol Mumma Kapsali
Carol started playing basketball at an early age with her young brother Dick, father Jack, and the neighborhood kids. Still, she did not want to go out for basketball in ninth grade. Finally, her dad got her to go out for the team. She didn’t get to play much and the same thing happened her sophomore year.
Things changed as a junior as she scored 287 points (average of 18.0 points per game). In the county, Bedford and Everett both finished 9-1. They split their two games in the regular season. Bedford came from down 37-27 going into the fourth quarter to win 45-41. Bedford won the J.C. Tournament held at the end of the year, but lost the District V Title to Meyersdale 41-38 despite Carol scoring 19 points. They finished the season 14-2.
In 1978, Carol’s senior year, Bedford went undefeated in the regular season 14-0 including two victories over Altoona. In the second game Bedford was trailing 45-30 at the end of three quarters. Bedford stormed back behind Mumma, who scored 20 of Bedford’s 27 points in the fourth quarter to win 57-53.
Bedford won the District V Championship, led by Carol’s 25 points, in a win over Chestnut Ridge 54-29 and 18 points in a win over Somerset 31-21 in the finals.
The Bedford J.C. again held a tournament at the end of the year. Bedford lost to Hollidaysburg in the first game 41-38 despite Carol scoring 20 points. In the consolation finals Bedford defeated Everett for the third time 54-48 with Mumma scoring 30 points.
The regular season was played in the fall and the Inter-District Playoffs in the spring. Bedford defeated Moniteau in the first Inter-District game 58-50, but lost to WPIAL Champ New Brighton in the Western Semifinals 58-43. The score was tied after three periods. Carol scored 20 points. New Brighton went on to win the State Championship.
Mumma scored 422 points for an average of 22.1 points per game. She was First Team Bedford County as a junior and as a senior.
Mumma went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. As a junior she helped lead the team to the Division III Final Four. In the Regional Finals Carol scored the last four points by hitting a basket and making two free throws to lead UPJ to victory over Millersville 69-66 and into the Final Four. UPJ was leading in the semifinal in the second half by six points when Carol got injured and did not return to the game. UPJ lost 70-62 despite Carol’s 17 points and 8 rebounds before the injury.
Carol did not play in the consolation finals which UPJ lost 82-78 on overtime. UPJ finished with a 26-4 record and fourth out of 384 Division III Schools.
Carol was First Team All-American. In addition, she was the MVP and two-time All Tournament Team selection at Mountain Cat Classic. She was also named to the All Tournament Team at the IUP Invitational.
Carol was all set for a big senior year. She only needed to take two classes the second semester. Things changed when the science department added an additional course to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. The course met on Monday from 6 to 8 with the lab on Wednesday 6 to 8. Carol had to make a decision-either basketball or graduation. She decided on graduation, missing the second semester of basketball.
Carol still ended up scoring 1,135 points and pulling down 765 rebounds. During her career, UPJ posted a 92-19 (.829) record.
Carol married Steve Kapsalis on September 11, 1982. She has been very successful in her occupation along with having three children, a son 22 and two daughters 19 and 15.
----
Carol started playing basketball at an early age with her young brother Dick, father Jack, and the neighborhood kids. Still, she did not want to go out for basketball in ninth grade. Finally, her dad got her to go out for the team. She didn’t get to play much and the same thing happened her sophomore year.
Things changed as a junior as she scored 287 points (average of 18.0 points per game). In the county, Bedford and Everett both finished 9-1. They split their two games in the regular season. Bedford came from down 37-27 going into the fourth quarter to win 45-41. Bedford won the J.C. Tournament held at the end of the year, but lost the District V Title to Meyersdale 41-38 despite Carol scoring 19 points. They finished the season 14-2.
In 1978, Carol’s senior year, Bedford went undefeated in the regular season 14-0 including two victories over Altoona. In the second game Bedford was trailing 45-30 at the end of three quarters. Bedford stormed back behind Mumma, who scored 20 of Bedford’s 27 points in the fourth quarter to win 57-53.
Bedford won the District V Championship, led by Carol’s 25 points, in a win over Chestnut Ridge 54-29 and 18 points in a win over Somerset 31-21 in the finals.
The Bedford J.C. again held a tournament at the end of the year. Bedford lost to Hollidaysburg in the first game 41-38 despite Carol scoring 20 points. In the consolation finals Bedford defeated Everett for the third time 54-48 with Mumma scoring 30 points.
The regular season was played in the fall and the Inter-District Playoffs in the spring. Bedford defeated Moniteau in the first Inter-District game 58-50, but lost to WPIAL Champ New Brighton in the Western Semifinals 58-43. The score was tied after three periods. Carol scored 20 points. New Brighton went on to win the State Championship.
Mumma scored 422 points for an average of 22.1 points per game. She was First Team Bedford County as a junior and as a senior.
Mumma went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. As a junior she helped lead the team to the Division III Final Four. In the Regional Finals Carol scored the last four points by hitting a basket and making two free throws to lead UPJ to victory over Millersville 69-66 and into the Final Four. UPJ was leading in the semifinal in the second half by six points when Carol got injured and did not return to the game. UPJ lost 70-62 despite Carol’s 17 points and 8 rebounds before the injury.
Carol did not play in the consolation finals which UPJ lost 82-78 on overtime. UPJ finished with a 26-4 record and fourth out of 384 Division III Schools.
Carol was First Team All-American. In addition, she was the MVP and two-time All Tournament Team selection at Mountain Cat Classic. She was also named to the All Tournament Team at the IUP Invitational.
Carol was all set for a big senior year. She only needed to take two classes the second semester. Things changed when the science department added an additional course to get a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. The course met on Monday from 6 to 8 with the lab on Wednesday 6 to 8. Carol had to make a decision-either basketball or graduation. She decided on graduation, missing the second semester of basketball.
Carol still ended up scoring 1,135 points and pulling down 765 rebounds. During her career, UPJ posted a 92-19 (.829) record.
Carol married Steve Kapsalis on September 11, 1982. She has been very successful in her occupation along with having three children, a son 22 and two daughters 19 and 15.
----
Class of 2011
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania