Posted: Apr 23, 2020
Kates signs with Michigan State
Sophomore catcher Kendall Kates has signed with Michigan State University to continue her softball career.
In her freshman season, Kates started almost every game behind the plate for the 2019 Comets. She finished her freshman campaign hitting .382 with 12 doubles, 3 home runs, and 35 RBI's which earned her All-Pacific Coast Conference honors, All-SoCal honors, and was awarded NFCA All-American Catcher of the Year. The Comets finished the 2019 season capturing their 36th Pacific Coast Conference Championship and finished second in the State, falling one game short of a State Championship suffering a loss to Mt. SAC.
During the 2020 season, Kates led the Comets in several key offensive categories before the season ended, only 19 games in, due to COVID-19. Kates led the Comets in avg. (.448), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.595). Kates had a season-best game against Santiago Canyon (Feb. 29th) only 4 games prior to the season-ending, where she went 4-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBI's to propel the Comets to an 8-5 win.
Kates earned two degrees from Palomar College an Associates Degree in General Studies - Social & Behavioral Sciences and University Studies - Social Science. She will finish this semester and transfer to MSU in Fall 2020 to pursue a Bachelor's Degree as a Kinesiology major and ultimately plans to pursue nursing school after her playing career.
"Kendall is another example of a typical Palomar Softball storyline," Head Coach Lacey Craft said. "Kendall didn't get the offer she was looking for out of her high school and travel experience and knew she had the work ethic on the field and in the classroom to keep her options open by continuing her playing career at Palomar so she could find the right fit. In our program, she was able to continue to improve and develop into an elite ballplayer and earn a higher-level softball scholarship to play in a Power 5 Conference at Michigan State. Kendall's hard work in the classroom and competitive drive on the field, in the weight room and at practice is what afforded her more scholarship options and ultimately her decision to sign as a Spartan. We couldn't be more proud and look forward to following her as a Spartan next season!"
Congrats Kendall!