Kate’s path has been nothing short of extraordinary. After the devastating loss of her father during her freshman year, she faced the difficult decision of taking a step away from school and the sport that she loves. Now, she is back in the pool as a top performer for the Matadors and will be graduating in the spring with a degree in public health. She hopes to become a nurse.

Kate’s father battled cancer for more than a year before passing away in March 2022, Kate’s freshman year at CSUN. During this extremely strenuous time, she made countless trips from campus to San Diego—more than 100 miles each way—balancing school, water polo, and the need to be by her father’s side. After taking a week off after his passing, she returned to the pool for the Matadors and continued to be a prominent member of the team for the remainder of the season. A month later, Kate was faced with the daunting decision of taking a step away from school to be with her family.

After processing her father’s passing, she sought help from her counseling center, friends, and, most importantly, her family. Over the past four seasons, she played 63 games contributing to CSUN’s success as a nationally ranked program. She also excelled academically, earning Big West All-Academic honors and completing her public health degree in three and a half years. Kate attributes part of her healing to the support she received from the CSUN counseling service, where she met with a counselor once a week for the duration of her sophomore year. This gave her the tools she needed to continue healing on her own.

“I learned to prioritize my mental health which helped me regain my strength during this difficult period of my life,” said Kate.