Throughout her time here at Winona State University, Kate Velander has been creating quite a legacy for herself as a student, an athlete and an embodiment of Winona State’s values.
Velander is a fourth-year majoring in public relations with an emphasis on advertising. Coming from Mound, Minnesota, Velander fell in love with Winona’s scenery, Winona State’s tennis program and business department. Velander first picked up her tennis racket at the ripe age of five. However, she truly fell in love with the sport while in middle school. Since then, she began competing regularly in tournaments, led her high school tennis team and advanced to the collegiate level, here at Winona State.
Attempting to find a balance between practice, classes and schoolwork, all while maintaining a social life can be tricky for all student athletes whether at Winona State or any other university; however, Velander has balanced all three for the past three years. In doing this, Velander earned the Winona State University Presidential Scholar Athlete award for her commitment to both athletics and academics.
With the sudden change in coaching staff for Winona State’s Women’s Tennis team, Velander has modeled her mental and physical strength as an athlete to her teammates and the Winona tennis community.
“The change in coaching was difficult at first, but things have been improving day by day. Time is the best healer, and we’re continuing to move forward together,” Velander said.
Furthermore, Velander and her teammates are confident that they will have a successful conference season beginning in the spring.
“The change in coaching isn’t stopping us from doing what we do best, in many ways, it’s making us even stronger and bringing us closer together as a team,” Velander explained. “With our conference season beginning in the spring, we have several months to prepare and regroup. I’m confident we’ll have a successful season ahead thanks to our dedicated players, supportive coaches and the continued backing of WSU.”
This upcoming season will continue to be a season full of tough competition, crammed van rides and all the memories to be made in between.
As Velander’s final season of collegiate tennis unwraps, Velander knows this won’t be the end of her tennis career. Velander plans on continuing whether she is coaching, joining a league or playing whenever she can outside of a career in the communications and marketing field.
Outside of tennis, Velander enjoys snowboarding, spending time on the lake, going to concerts, and of course, thrifting.
