Kate Stratman
Three months after announcing that Dos Pueblos High School alumna Lauren Stratman will play for Westmont this coming season, Westmont head coach Kendyll McManigal has announced that Stratman’s younger sister Kate will be joining the team as well.
“Kate was planning on attending Santa Barbara City College this fall,” said McManigal. “I suggested that she talk with our admissions and financial aid departments to see if coming to Westmont was an option. It turns out that it was.”
“In a million years, I didn’t expect this,” said the younger Stratman. “It was really hard on me when Lauren left to go to school in New York (at Columbia) because we are really close. Now we will be at the same school. To have her on the team with me and at my side is going to be great. Now we get to keep pushing each other in tennis and support each other outside of tennis.”
Both sisters played for Dos Pueblos with Lauren playing at number one singles and Kate at number two.
“Kate has a huge forehand,” said McManigal. “She has a lot of strength and hits a hard, deep shot. She is aggressive and is very competitive.”
“I love forehands and approach shots,” said Stratman. “My backhand is strong, but I love getting on the rise and cracking it. I like to keep the ball at a good pace. If my opponent hits the ball hard, I love hitting it hard back using her pace.”
Like her older sibling, Stratman plans on majoring in kinesiology.
“Since April, I have been a fulltime caretaker for a woman who had a stroke,” said Stratman. “I love nursing and elder care and that is what I want to do.”
The Stratmans will join six returning players to make up the 2013-14 squad for McManigal’s inaugural year as head coach.
